KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The number of COVID-19 cases could surpass 25-million people this weekend in the United States.
That’s more than 7-and-a-half percent of the population.
The COVID-19 virus has torn apart families in the metro.
Ross Distefano's family is one those devastated by the virus.
His 78-year-old mother contracted COVID-19 and is being treated at North Kansas City Hospital
"She was doing fine, and then she started having problems breathing," said Distefano.
It was a quick downhill spiral for his mother, Neada Distefano.
"We talked on the phone and she was like, 'I’m in trouble it’s not good," Ross Distefano said.
Distefano describes his mom as the backbone of the family
"Very strong, intelligent," he said. "She came from Italian immigrants, came from nothing."
Her worsening condition forced her family to make the agonizing decision to take her off life support next week.
"Seriously impacted our family, you know one minute everybody is healthy," Distefano said. "And we were at Christmas celebrating a week later, it just shows you how fragile life is."
Distefano will be 1 of more than 7 thousand victims of the virus in Missouri.
Dr. Randall Williams, the Director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said the virus is most deadly among the elderly.
Williams talked about those most vulnerable during a Facebook live event last week with Black Health Care Coalition.
"We know from data after a year of this that people over 65 and people with certain conditions at any age, heart disease, cancer, pregnant, down syndrome, that when they get the disease they don’t do as well," Williams said.
Williams is waiting for more vaccine to arrive, but said it's been a slow roll out so far.
"We’re only getting 80-thousand doses a week, and we’re trying to vaccinate 3 million people," he said. "So for at least the next couple of weeks, we are not going to have enough vaccine to vaccine the 1 million people in Missouri over 65."
Distefano urges everyone to stay vigilant.
"Unfortunately a lot of people including myself didn’t take it seriously to begin with, you know, in the first few months and then you don’t realize it until it impacts you," Distefano said.
To take a look at the lastest COVID-19 cases, click on our 41 Action News tracker.
