Monday 4 p.m. COVID-19 update

Monday 4 p.m. COVID-19 update

THERE ARE SOME BIG QUESTIONS NOWABOUT THE 2020 BASEBALL SEASONONE TEAM IS NOW DEALING WITH 14CASES OF CORONAVIRUS KMBC 9S.LEN JENNINGS IS HERE NOW WITHTHAT STORY KELLY THE MARLINSHAVE NINE PLAYERS IN FIVECOACHES WHO TESTED POSITIVE FORCOVID-19.SO MIAMI’S HOME OPENER HAS BEENPOSTPONED AND THE YANKEES GAMEIN PHILADELPHIA WHERE THEMARLINS LAST IT IS ALSO POSTPONEMAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SAYS THEGAMES ARE POSTPONED WHILE THELEAD CONDUCTS MORE TESTINGMARLINS PLAYERS ARE UNDERQUARTERING FOR NOW THE RISK THE60 GAME SEASON BARELY UNDERWAYTHE OUTBREAK RAISES QUESTIONSABOUT THE LEAGUE’S PLAN FORNAVIGATING THE PANDEMIC DODGERSPITCHER DAVID PRICE OPTED OUT OFPLAYING THE SEASON.HE REACTED TO THE POSTPONED GAMESAYING NOW, WE REALLY GET TO SEEIF THE MLB IS GOING TO PUTPLAYERS HEALTH FIRST THE ROYALSHAVE SEVERAL PLAYERS ON THEINJURED LIST DUE TO THECOVID-19.RELATED ISSUES.THEY INCLUDE HUNDRED DOZIER BRADKELLER JACOB JUNICE AND CAMGALLAGHER RYAN O’HEARN TESTEDPOSITIVE EARLIER THIS SUMMER BUTWAS JUST ACTIVATED TODAY KELLY.NOW TWO GAMES WERE CANCELLED,BUT MANY OTHER TEAMS WILL BEPLAYING TONIGHT THAT DOESINCLUDE THE ROYALS PLAYING THETIGERS IN DETROIT FIRST PITCH ISSET FOR 610.ALSO, WE’RE GOING TO JOIN LIVENOW GOVERNOR LAURA KELLY WITH ABRIEFING ON COVID-19.LET’S JOIN HER LIFE NINE MOREDEATHS SINCE FRIDAY.I HAVE THE UNFORTUNATE TASK OFONCE AGAIN ANNOUNCING OURNUMBERS ARE AT AN ALL-TIME HIGHLAST WEEK IN THE KANSAS CITYAREA THE KC METRO AREA RECORDEDMORE THAN 400 NEW COVID CASESEACH DAY FOUR DAYS IN A ROW.AND AS WE’RE LEARNING THISVIRUS, IT DOESN’T AFFECT JUSTOUR OLDER POPULATION.THE WICHITA EAGLE HAS REPORTEDTHAT WICHITA HOSPITALS HAVE SEENTHE AVERAGE AGE OF THEIRPATIENTS DECREASING.ASCENSION VIA CHRISTI, WHICHREPORTED AN ALL-TIME HIGH OFCOVID-19 PATIENTS IN THEIR 30STHIS PAST WEEK SAID THE MEDIANAGE OF DISCHARGE PATIENTS ISDROPPING IN APRIL.THE MEDIAN AGE WAS 64 AND NOW INJULY IT IS 52.KATE EG IS REPORTING THE AVERAGEAGE OF COVID-19 CASES IS NOW 37.THOSE ARE ALL CASES.NOT JUST THE ONES THAT WEREHOSPITALIZED AS SECRETARY NORMANSAID LAST WEEK THE AVERAGE AGEOF CASES IN KANSAS IS GETTINGYOUNGER ALL THE TIME.IF WE CONTINUE THIS TRAJECTORY,I WILL HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE THANTO RECOMMEND THAT WE MOVE BACKTO PHASE 2 OF THE AD ASTRA PLANTO REOPEN, KANSAS.NEXT WEEK THAT MEANS MASSGATHERINGS WOULD BE LIMITEDAGAIN TO 15 INDIVIDUALS AND THATBARS AND NIGHTCLUBS WOULD NEEDTO CLOSE.I DO NOT WANT TO GO BACKWARDS WECAN AND WE MUST DO BETTER.WE CANNOT PRETEND THIS VIRUS ISDISAPPEARING WITH THE SUMMERHEAT AND WE CANNOT PRETEND ITDOESN’T HURT KANSAS BECAUSE ITDOES.THIS VIRUS ALSO DOESN’T STOP ATCOUNTY LINES RURAL OR URBAN.AS OF THIS MORNING 103 OUT OF105 COUNTIES HAVE AT LEAST ONEPOSITIVE CASE.PARTICULARLY TROUBLING IS THERISE IN THE NUMBER OF CASES INTHE COUNTIES SURROUNDING WICHITASUMNER COUNTY NOW HAS 58.OH, NO, EXCUSE ME, 88 CASES.THAT’S 10 MORE CASES SINCEFRIDAY.BUTLER COUNTY IS UP 15 CASESSINCE FRIDAY BRINGING ITS TOTALTO 187.COVID-19 DOESN’T STOP AT STATELINES EITHER MONTGOMERY COUNTYWRIGHT ON THE SOUTHERN BORDER OFKANSAS NEAR OKLAHOMA HAS SEEN ANINCREASE OF 13 CASES SINCEFRIDAY.WE’VE GOT TO DO BETTER THAN THISELECTED LEADERS IN KANSAS CANNOTCONTINUE TO SIT BACK IN SILENCE.THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF KANSANSDEPEND ON IT.LET ME REMIND EVERYONE THAT THISIS NOT A PARTISAN ISSUE.JUST RECENTLY IN OHIO ANDINDIANA REPUBLICAN GOVERNORSDECIDED TO MANDATE MASKSTATEWIDE.BECAUSE THEY KNOW IT WORKS.THEY KNOW THAT MASK MINIMIZE THETRANSMISSION OF THE VIRUS.AND BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT REALLEADERS DO THEY TAKE ACTION?IT’S WHY I’VE FOUGHT TO PROTECTCANS AND SINCE THE BEGINNING OFTHIS PANDEMIC AND I WILLCONTINUE TO DO SO AND WITH THAT.I’LL TAKE SOME QUESTIONS.WE’VE BEEN LISTENING LIVE TOKANSAS GOVERNOR LAURA KELLY.SHE IS TELLING US BECAUSE OF THERES ANOTHER SPIKE IN COVID-19CASES.SHE IS CONSIDERING MOVING BACKTO PHASE 2 OF THE REOPENINGPLAN.THAT IS HER LATEST ANNOUNCEMENT.SHE HAS NOT MADE THAT DECISIONYET, BUT SAYS SHE WILL MAKE ITIN THE COMING WEEK AND IF YOUWANT TO CONTINUE WATCHING THISBEEPING IT IS LIVE ON KMBC’SFACEBOOK PAGE RIGHT NOW.NOW, LET’S GO TO FIRST ALERTWEATHER WE COULD SEE MORE STORMSLATER THIS WEEK.SO LET’S GET TO METEOROLOGISTNEVILLE MILLER AND FOR BRIAN.HEY, THAT’S RIGHT.KELLY AND EVEN OUTSIDE RIGHTNOW.THERE’S A FEW SPRINKLES THAT MAYDRIFT THROUGH AS WE GO THROUGHTHE EVENING.OTHERWISE FOR MOST OF US.WE ARE CURRENTLY DRY.LOOKING AROUND THE METRO NOTMUCH TO SEE BUT THERE’S A FEWLITTLE SPECKS OF GREEN AS YOU GOJUST OFF TO THE SOUTH OF ST.JOSEPH A FEW SHOWERS CLOSER TOTOPEKA MORE THAT RAINBOW ACROSSSOUTH-CENTRAL, MISSOURI.SO FOR MOST OF US, WE ARECURRENTLY DRY, BUT VERY SLIMCHANCE OF A SPRINKLE THISEVENING.LET’S LOOK TO THE SOUTHWESTTHOUGH.THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE QUITE ABIT MORE IN THE WAY OF SHOWERSAND THUNDERSTORMS AND THIS ISWE’RE GOING TO KEEP AN EYE ONFOR THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEKBECAUSE THIS WILL ACTUALLY BRINGUS SEVERAL CHANCES FOR SHOWERSAND THUNDERSTORMS HERE HEADINGINTO THE SECOND HALF OF THEWEEK.SO AS FAR AS YOUR RAIN CHANCESOVER THE NEXT FIVE DAYSTOMORROW, WE’RE DRY IMPACT DAYSFOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY ASOUR RAIN CHANCES ARE GOING TO BEUP NEAR 60 PERCENT FRIDAY NOTQUITE AS HIGH BUT STILL A 40%CHANCE O RAIN AND STORMS ON ASATURDAY A 20 PERCENT CHANCE.IT’S I’LL GO THROUGH THISWEDNESDAY OPPORTUNITY USINGFUTURESCAN HOUR THAT’S COMINGUP.THE WORLD’S BIGGEST COVID-19VACCINE STUDY IS NOW UNDERWAY30,000 VOLUNTEERS WILL GET TESTSHOTS CREATED BY THE USGOVERNMENT.IT’S ONE OF SEVERAL CANDIDATESIN THE FINAL STRETCH OF THEGLOBAL VACCINE RACE.VOLUNTEERS WON’T KNOW IF THEY’REGETTING THE REAL SHOT OR APLACEBO AFTER TWO DOSESSCIENTISTS WILL CLOSELY TRACKWHICH GROUP EXPERIENCES MOREINFECTIONS AS THEY GO ABOUTTHEIR DAILY ROUTINES, KANSAS ANDMISSOURI ARE PROVIDING NEWNUMBERS ON THE CORONAVIRUS INKANSAS.THERE ARE MORE THAN 1000POSITIVE CASES SINCE FRIDAY.NINE PEOPLE HAVE DIED OFCOVID-19 SINCE FRIDAY, MISSOURIIS REPORTING 1100 POSITIVE CASESSINCE SUNDAY FOUR PEOPLE HAVEDIED OF COVID-19 SINCE SUNDAY.THIS AFTERNOON.WE’RE BREAKING DOWN THOSENUMBERS AND TRENDS FOR COVID-19KMBC NINES INVESTIGATIVEREPORTER.MATT FLEENER HAS SOMEPERSPECTIVE ON WHERE THINGSSTAND TODAY.TONIGHT WE WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETRENDS WITH NUMBERS ON THECORONAVIRUS.LET’S START WITH A VISUAL FORGRAPHS FROM THE COVID TRACKINGPROJECT LOOKING AT CORONAVIRUSNATIONWIDE.YOU COULD SEE THREE TRENDS GOTHE WRONG DIRECTION WHILE NEWTESTS HAVE GONE UP NEW CASESHAVE RISEN SHARPLY TO THAT’S NOTGOOD NATIONWIDE MORE PEOPLE AREIN THE HOSPITAL AND MORE PEOPLEARE DYING EVERY DAY THE CHARTSSHOW THE SAME TRENDS IN MISSOURICASES HOSPITALIZATIONS ANDDEATHS A TO GO BACK UP.AS WE’VE TOLD YOU STEVE.HAS BEEN HIT THE HARDEST MONDAYTHE COUNTY EXECUTIVE RECOMMENDEDLIMITING GROUP SIZE AND CLOSINGBARS AFTER 10 P.M.

IN OUR REGIONDOUGLAS COUNTY AND LURID IS THEONLY COUNTY THAT HAS CLOSED BARSAND NIGHTCLUBS LAST THURSDAYKABC ASKED OF KANSAS CITY,MISSOURI WOULD CONSIDER THE SAMEACTION THE PROBLEM BECOMES IFONLY KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI IS ANEXAMPLE CLOSES BARS.THEN FOLKS CAN GO ANY PLACEELSE.UM AND THE RISK OF EXPOSURE ISSTILL BASICALLY THERE SO WEDON’T GET TOO MUCH OF THEPROTECTION, BUT THEN WE HAULHARM THOSE BUSINESSES AND PUTPEOPLE OUT OF WORK A LOT TOSTILL CONSIDER, ESPECIALLY IFTHERE’S NOT REGION-WIDE BY INKANSAS.MEANWHILE HAD A LEVELING OFF OFNEW CASES OVER THE WEEKEND.THE STATE’S HEALTH DIRECTORTHOSE SAYS HE WANTS TO SEE COVIDCRUSHED AS KIDS GO BACK TOSCHOOL MATT FLENER KMBC 9 NEWSTHIS WEEK.WE ARE TOLD WE COULD SEE SOME OFTHE IMPACT FROM THE MASKMANDATES THAT WENT INTO EFFECTIN EARLY JUNE A CLUSTER OFCOVID-19 CASES IS NOW TIED TO AHOUSE PARTY IN LEE’S SUMMIT THEJACKSON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTHOSTED A TESTING EVENT TODAY FORTEENS WHO WERE AT THE PARTY ORHAD CONTACT WITH SOMEONE WHO WASTHERE PRIOR TO TODAY FIVE TEENSTESTED POSITIVE THREE MORE WHOHAVE SYMPTOMS ARE NOW WAITING ONRESULTS.LA WHO THEY WERE JUNIORS ANDSENIORS JUST TRYING TO CELEBRATESOMEONE SENIOR YEAR AND IT’SGOING INTO SENIOR YEAR FOR OURLAST YEAR BECAUSE WE KNOW IT’SNOT GOING TO BE NORMAL.IT’S ESTIMATED AS MANY AS 200HIGH SCHOOLERS WERE AT THATPARTY GATHERINGS OF MORE THAN100 ARE CURRENTLY BANNED INJACKSON COUNTY ST.LOUIS COUNTY IS ANNOUNCING NEWRESTRICTIONS AIMED AT CURBINGCORONAVIRUS AND NOT AREA THEYINCLUDE A 50-PERSON EVENT LIMITNEW OCCUPANCY RULES FORBUSINESSES AND A CLOSURE OF BARSAFTER 10 P.M.

IT’S DESCRIBED ASA FOUR-WEEK ROLLBACK OF SOMEREOPENING MEASURES ST.LOUIS COUNTY MAKES UP A QUARTER