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Kansas City VA: Wyandotte County veteran tests positive for COVID-19

Another case also reported in St. Louis
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Posted at 11:12 AM, Mar 18, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-18 14:01:12-04

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs said Wednesday morning an outpatient at one of its Kansas City locations tested positive for COVID-19.

The VA said a Wyandotte County resident came into the Kansas City VA Medical Center with respiratory symptoms. It was not immediately clear if the patient is one of the four cases already confirmed in Wyandotte County.

A coronavirus test confirmed the patient had COVID-19 Wednesday.

The patient has been self-quarantined at home since March 12, the VA said, and has instructions to remain so.

The VA said the person is doing will and has not needed hospitalization thus far.

The risk of transmission to other patients and staff is low, the VA said. It has no plans to close outpatient clinics at this time.

The medical center has implemented a screening process for anyone who presents coronavirus symptoms.

If anyone is determined to be at risk for COVID-19, they “are immediately isolated to prevent potential spread to others.”

Earlier Wednesday, a second person tested “presumptive positive” for COVID-19 in St. Louis, according to reporting from NBC affiliate KSDK.

KSDK reports Mayor Lyda Krewson announced the new case Wednesday morning.

Krewson said officials believe others in the community may have been exposed, because the person “continued to go to work in the City while exhibiting symptoms.”

Click here to see all the cases reported in Missouri and Kansas.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story identified the patient at the Kansas City VA Medical Center as a Jackson County case. Jackson County officials say that because the patient lives in Wyandotte County, it is a Kansas case.