March 19 blog: Sedgwick County reports 1st COVID-19 cases

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, continues to spread across the world, and in Missouri and Kansas.

41 Action News is keeping track of all closings and cancellations, as well as tracking where positive coronavirus cases are located.

Updates on the spread of the virus and how it is affecting the metro can be found below for March 19.

9:46 p.m. | Sedgwick County announced its first positive COVID-19 case Thursday evening, according to NBC affiliate KSN. Wichita is lovated in Sedgwick County.

9:01 p.m. | J. Reiger and Company said KCPD officers will assist with traffic control for people coming to the distillery Friday to purchase hand sanitizer. Only Guinotte Ave. will be open leading to the distillery, which will sell hand sanitizer from 11 a.m. until the supply is exhausted. Motorists should take Front Street or East Third Street to Guinotte.

8:59 p.m. | The Kansas Continuous Learning Task Force announced that it has developed recommendations "on how schools can implement Continuous Learning" after Gov. Laura Kelly's order to close schools for the rest of the 2019-20 academic year.

8:56 p.m. | Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced the state has received a shipment of "thousands of additional Personal Protective Equipment," which various agencies will begin to distribute immediately to health care providers.

8:44 p.m. | Overland Park will limit public access to City Hall beginning at 8 a.m. on Friday morning. All visitors will be directed to the front counter for assistance.

8:10 p.m. | NBC News reported that the Trump administration will place restrictions on nonessential travel across the U.S. border with Mexico, similar to restrictions enacted earlier Thursday relating to the U.S.-Canada border.

7:20 p.m. | Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the KCMO Neighborhood and Housing Services Department is curtailing, altering or eliminating some services on a temporary basis.

7 p.m. | The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will not conduct mandated statewide assessments in 2019-20 and expect a federal waiver soon.

6:58 p.m. | Cass County's Health Department has reported three new cases of COVID-19. There is one new case in Belton, Creighton and Raymore. There are now four confirmed cases in Cass County. All patients are currently in isolation in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

6:46 p.m. | North Kansas City Schools announced plans for meal delivery service to students starting next week. Families can pick up lunch and breakfast curbside for children 18 years old or younger between 1 and 3 p.m. on Monday through Friday at the following locations:

• North Kansas City High School, 620 E. 23rd Ave. in NKC
• Oak Park High School, 825 NE 79th Terrace in Kansas City
• Winnetonka High School, 5815 NE 48th St. in Kansas City
• Staley High School, 2800 NE Shoal Creek Parkway in Kansas City

NKC Schools staff members also will deliver meals via bus routes from 9 a.m. to noon. Check online for complete details about the bus-delivery option.

6:40 p.m. | Kansas announced that it would allow liquor stores to sell alcohol cubrside with certain restrictions amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

6:18 p.m. | The Leavenworth District County is closed for all activities and court proceedings except for emergency operations until further notice.

5:46 p.m. | QuikTrip stores in Kansas City, Missouri, will temporarily remove all roller grill items, including hot dogs and taquitos, as well as pastries, including donuts and muffins, from stores until further notice. QT Kitchens hot food will remain available,

5:39 p.m. | The Missouri Department of Natural Resources announced that all state parks will remain open. Staff will be available on-site and by phone to answer questions, but all visitor centers, park offices and site offices are closed to the public through at least April 30.

Restrooms will remain in operation where available, but visitors are encouraged to practice social distancing and bring extra soap or hand sanitizer among other precautions.

5:25 p.m. | With reduced passenger volume at Kansas City International Airport, some News & Gifts and Food & Beverage stores have reduced hours or have been closed.

5:20 p.m. | Boone County, Missouri reported two additional COVID-19 cases Thursday afternoon, bringing that county's total to three and the state's total to 39.

5:19 p.m. | The Blue Springs School District announced its plan to provide breakfast and lunch to children 18 years old or younger at 11 school sites between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. beginning March 23.

Drive-thru or walk-up service will be available Monday through Friday at the following locations:

• Blue Springs High School, 2000 NW Ashton Drive in Blue Springs
• Blue Springs Freshman Campus, 2103 NW Vesper St. in Blue Springs
• Brittany Hill Middle School, 2701 NW 1st St. in Blue Springs
• Chapel Lakes Elementary, 3701 NE Independence Ave. in Lee's Summit
• Daniel Young Elementary, 505 SE Shamrock Lane in Blue Springs
• Franklin Smith Elementary, 1609 SW Clark Road in Blue Springs
• James Walker Elementary, 201 SE Sunnyside School Road in Blue Springs
• John Nowlin Elementary, 5020 NW Valley View Road in Blue Springs
• Paul Kinder Middle School, 3930 NW R.D. Mize Road in Blue Springs
• William Yates Elementary, 3600 S Davidson Ave. in Independence
• William Bryant Elementary, 1101 SE Sunnyside School Road in Blue Springs

Meals also will be dropped off Monday through Friday at the following locations and times:

• Autumn Place, 1300 Candletree Drive in Blue Springs, from 11 to 11:30 a.m.
• Country Club Garden Apartments, 1316 NW 6th St. Terrace in Blue Springs, from 11 to 11:30 a.m.
• Motel 6, 3400 NW Jefferson St. in Blue Springs, from 11 to 11:30 a.m.
• City Homes at Fall Creek, 901 SW Clark Road in Blue Springs, from noon to 12:30 p.m.
• Blue Springs Apartments, 702 SW 15th St. in Blue Springs, from noon to 12:30 p.m.
• Villas of Autumn Bend, 1620 SW 9th St. in Blue Springs, from noon to 12:30 p.m.

5:10 p.m. | The Kansas City, Missouri Health Department says four new people have tested positive for COVID-19, increasing the city's total to six patients.

4:34 p.m. | Effective Monday, the University of Missouri System has directed all employees to work off campus unless requested to remain on campus by a supervisor through April 13. This excludes MU Health Care personnel.

4:24 p.m. | Liberty Public Schools will offer meal pickup for families with children 18 and younger. Both breakfast and lunch meals will be available at these sites and times:

• Ridgeview Elementary, 701 Thornton St. in Liberty, from 10:45 to 11:15 a.m., Monday through Friday
• Liberty Oaks Elementary, 8150 Farley Ave. in Kansas City, Missouri, from 11:30 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday

3:34 p.m. | The Johnson County Board of Commissioners extended its State of Local Disaster Emergency declaration, which was set to expire Friday, for another 60 days. The Board of Commissioners also removed "exemptions of religious and faith-based activities, weddings and funerals previously included" from a public health order banning public gatherings of more than 10 people.

3:29 p.m. | Four new positive COVID-19 cases were announced in Missouri, bringing the state's total to 28.

3:21 p.m. | The Jackson County Prosecutor's Office will temporarily halt prosecution of Driving While Revoked cases among other changes amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Guidelines for the New Start diversion program also will be broadened and bond conditions reviewed to alleviate the population in jails, including the Jackson County Detention Center.

3:20 p.m. | The Liberty Police Department is asking the public to avoid coming to the station for non-emergency matters. Residents are encouraged to report "minor crimes that have occurred in Liberty" online.

3:11 p.m. | All schools in Missouri have now closed voluntarily, according to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

2:50 p.m. | The Kansas Lottery will suspend most operations, though multi-state draw games will continue and drawings will continue. Kansas-only draw games also will continue, but the claims process for prizes more than $600 is suspended until at least April 6.

2:45 p.m. | Independence Center will close will close effective March 20 with plans to reopen March 31. The mall will not be open for walking.

2:43 p.m. | The United States State Department issued an advisory Thursday afternoon advising U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel. The advisory included that U.S. citizens who do not wish to return "should be prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period."

2:40 p.m. | Hy-Vee announced that it will ban the use of reusable bags effective March 20 and begin to install temporary window panels at all checkout stations "to help provide an additional layer of protection for both our employees and customers."

2:23 p.m. | Former Kansas City Chiefs player Will Shields and his wife, Senia, said they plan to donate 96,000 meals in the Kansas City metro in partnership with two nonprofit organizations, Harvesters and the Food Pantry at Jewish Family Services. The donation comes through the couple’s Will to Succeed Foundation.

2:10 p.m. | Wyandotte County says the second person who tested positive for COVID-19 at a Kansas City VA Medical Center clinic is the ninth confirmed case in the county.

1:55 p.m. | The Kansas City, Missouri, City Hall will be closed Friday “for a major deep cleaning” in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

1:25 p.m. | A Kansas City, Kansas, clinic is opening drive-thru COVID-19 testing. Patients MUST have a referral from their primary-care physician.

1:10 p.m. | KC Streetcar will temporarily reduce its operating hours in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

1 p.m. | The state of Kansas is now reporting 34 cases statewide. We're updating our case tracker with the latest information.

12:46 p.m. | The City of Liberty has declared a state of emergency in order to make way for quicker emergency response operations. At the time of the declaration, there were no confirmed COVID-19 cases in Clay County.

12:38 p.m. | Morris County, Kansas, has reported two positive cases of COVID-19. They are the first in the county. The two infected individuals visited several locations in Council Grove.

12:36 p.m. | U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids (KS, Democrat) says she will self-quarantine after learning that she had contact with a member of Congress who tested positive for COVID-19.

12:30 p.m. | Many local stores are providing special hours where older shoppers, pregnant shoppers and shoppers with compromised immune systems can pick up their necessities with reduced COVID-19 fears. READ MORE

12:01 p.m. | New visitor restrictions and other preparedness procedures went into effect at HCA Midwest Health locations Thursday to help limit the spread of and exposure to the novel coronavirus. READ MORE

11:53 a.m. | Despite not being able to host in-person church services, the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection is still trying to help those affected by COVID-19. The church is hosting a drive-up food and supply drive to collect items for the homeless, is operating a mobile food pantry and is providing weekend food bags for students in need.

11:37 a.m. | Wyandotte County has now confirmed eight positive cases of COVID-19, an increase from the seven cases it reported on Wednesday. Two patients are in the hospital, while the rest are isolating at home. Wyandotte County's tally also includes the only death reported in Kansas related to the virus.

11:30 a.m. | The Missouri Department of Conservation will close its five staffed shooting ranges beginning Friday, March 20, through April 15. It has several dozen unstaffed shooting ranges that will remain open.

11:20 a.m. | The Raymore-Peculiar School District will continue to provide to-go breakfast and lunch while schools are closed through April 3. Meal service will begin on March 23. Pickup times will be 8:30-9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at these locations:

• Peculiar Elementary School, 201 E. Third St., Peculiar;
• Eagle Glen Elementary School, 100 S. Foxridge Drive, Raymore;
• Raymore Elementary School, 500 S. Madison, Raymore;
• Timber Creek Elementary School, 310 E. Calico Drive, Raymorel

11:15 a.m. | Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly tweeted Thursday morning that she has signed legislation to help in the state's efforts to combat the effects of coronavirus.

10:30 a.m. | Jackson County, Kansas, confirmed their first case of COVID-19. That person is in isolation.

10:14 a.m. | Johnson County, Kansas, officials updated their total positive COVID-19 patients to 16 from 12.

10:10 a.m. | A second patient at the Kansas City VA Medical Center has tested positive for COVID-19. The 64-year-old had no symptoms but was tested after being in contact with a suspected infected person at his work. He received the test on March 16 and was notified on March 18 that the results were positive. That person is now in self-quarantine at home.

10:08 a.m. | The Kansas City, Missouri, vote on a half-percent sales tax raise to create additional funding for the Kansas City Fire Department has been moved to June 2 from April 7 in accordance with Gov. Mike Parson's executive order. Anyone who is 18 by April 7 can vote in that election.

10:03 a.m. | Major League Soccer has expanded their suspension of the season to eight weeks to meet CDC guidelines.

10 a.m. | The Kansas Department of Education has released its continuous learning guidelines in response to Gov. Laura Kelly's order to close school buildings and suspend in-person instruction through the end of the school year. Find those guidelines here.

9:53 a.m. | KC Water reminds customers that services and bills can be addressed online or by calling 816-513-1313.

9:45 a.m. | Wyandot Behavioral Health is making updates because of the rapid spread of COVID-19 in the area. All non-essential face-to-face servies are suspended and will be held by telephone or computer instead. Crisis services are still available by calling 913-328-4600 or by calling the 24/7 Crisis Line at 913-788-4200.

9:28 a.m. | Overnight, Missouri Congresswoman Ann Wager announced she was going to self-quarantine after attending a meeting last week that included a person that has since tested positive for COVID-19.

9:18 a.m. | Retailing giant Walmart announced this morning that it is adjusting store hours.

Starting today, stores will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8:30 p.m. The company says the change is to allow restocking of stores and to help sanitize stores.

The company posted additional information on its website.

9 a.m. | Missouri Gov. Mike Parson tweeted an update Thursday morning with an update on COVID-19 cases announced Wednesday night.