Kansas City (AP) — The new surge of the coronavirus was evident on Thursday, with record hospitalizations in St. Louis and Columbia, and the Kansas City metropolitan area experiencing its worst month ever for COVID-19 deaths.
The number of coronavirus deaths in the metro Kansas City area, which includes Kansas City as well as counties in Missouri and Kansas, was at 176 in October, the most of any month since the onset of the pandemic.
Deaths in the region have risen sharply during the fall. The metro area recorded 80 deaths in August but 172 in September.
“We would predict that November will be worse than October,” Kansas City Health Department Director Rex Archer told the Star. “December’s going to be worse than November and January’s going to be worse than December. We will continue to set records.”
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services' COVID-19 dashboard shows Missouri had the seventh-highest number of per capita deaths over the past seven days, and the 12th highest number of new cases per capita. The statewide positivity rate of 11.6% is more than twice the World Health Organization's 5% benchmark for reopening.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson allowed the state to reopen in mid-June. He has urged Missourians to take personal responsibility in preventing the spread of the virus, but there is no statewide mandate for masks or social distancing. Many local jurisdictions have implemented their own requirements.