KANSAS CITY, Mo. — We have been tracking the spread of COVID-19 in the Kansas City area since the start of the pandemic.
Whether it's stories about how we bounce back through our Rebound KC effort, important information as school resumes or critical information about the November election, trust 41 Action News to keep you informed.
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Updates on the spread of the virus and how it is affecting the metro can be found below for Sept. 28.
6:30 p.m. | Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said Monday that the state will begin rolling out a new "unified testing strategy" for COVID-19, which will include increased testing in areas with continued high community spread.
4:15 p.m. | Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools has closed its district offices after a handful of employees tested positive for COVID-19, according to a district spokesperson.
Edwin Birch, executive director of communication and marketing for KCKPS, said about five staff members received positive test results, which prompted the district to shut down the KCKPS Central Office at 2010 N. 59 St. —AW
3 p.m. | The Kansas Department of Health and Environment recommends that families abstain from trick-or-treating this year, along with several other Halloween activities, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The department also recommends that people stay away from parties or events with non-household members; festivals and haunted house attractions; and "trunk-or-treating."
The guidance largely mirrors that released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has categorized Halloween activities according to the risk of spreading COVID-19.
Online parties, car parades, Halloween movies at drive-in theaters and yard decorations are all appropriate activities this year, according to KDHE.
Those who do choose to participate in trick-or-treating should wear masks, carry hand sanitizer and disinfect candy. Find the full list of KDHE recommendations online. —AW
2:40 p.m. | Marshall, Missouri, Public Schools says it will halt in-person learning, effective Wednesday, and move entirely to virtual learning through at least Oct. 15.
In a Facebook post, the district did not elaborate on a reason for the move to distance learning. —AW
1:30 p.m. | Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Monday said he was still asymptomatic after testing positive for COVID-19 last week. His wife, first lady Teresa Parson, is "fatigued" but feeling better, Parson said in an update on his social media pages.
The governor plans to hold a virtual press briefing to give an update on COVID-19 operations in the state on Wednesday afternoon. It will be streamed live on Facebook.
The governor's office also said Monday that while Parson continues to isolate in the governor's mansion, he is continuing to conduct state business. —AW
Happy to share that @FirstLadyTeresa is doing very well. We wanted to start the week off with another quick update. pic.twitter.com/MjZLrDOcey
— Governor Mike Parson (@GovParsonMO) September 28, 2020
12:08 p.m. | An employee at the Sherwood Cass R-8 School District tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend. The district conducted contact tracing and has alerted a few students and staff members that will need to quarantine after being in close contact with the employee.
Sherwood Community - We were notified of an employee testing positive for COVID-19 over the weekend. Please see the attached release. All contact tracing has been completed in relation to the school district.
Posted by Sherwood Cass R-8 on Monday, September 28, 2020
8:42 a.m. | University of Kansas Health System officials gave their daily COVID-19 update. -KB
7:50 a.m. | Just starting your day? We’ve got you covered with a quick look at what you need to know. -KB
7:30 a.m. | People across England face tough new fines if they fail to self isolate after testing positive for COVID-19.
Starting Monday, those who fail to follow the rules face a 1,000-pound ($1,200) fine, which increases to 10,000 pounds for repeat offenders. The Department of Health and Social Care says those who test positive also will be fined if they knowingly provide false information to contact tracers. -KB
7:15 a.m. | Military suicides have increased by as much as 20% this year compared to the same period in 2019, and some incidents of violent behavior have spiked as service members struggle under COVID-19, war-zone deployments, national disasters and civil unrest.
While the data is incomplete and causes of suicide are complex, Army and Air Force officials say they believe the pandemic is adding stress to an already strained force. -KB
7 a.m. | Experts are warning consumers that UVC lights and light wands sold online that claim to eliminate the COVID-19 virus from surfaces can be both dangerous and ineffective. The consumer-grade products differ from professional products and can be harmful if not used correctly. -KB
Previous coverage:
March 2020 updates
April 2020 updates
May 2020 updates
June 2020 updates
July 2020 updates
August 2020 updates
Tuesday, Sept. 1
Wednesday, Sept. 2
Thursday, Sept. 3
Friday, Sept. 4
Monday, Sept. 7
Tuesday, Sept. 8
Wednesday, Sept. 9
Thursday, Sept. 10
Friday, Sept. 11
Monday, Sept. 14
Tuesday, Sept. 15
Wednesday, Sept. 16
Thursday, Sept. 17
Friday, Sept. 18
Monday, Sept. 21
Tuesday, Sept. 22
Wednesday, Sept. 23
Thursday, Sept. 24
Friday, Sept. 25
