Live blog: KC metro reports 2nd-most COVID-19 cases in single day

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, continues to spread across the world, and in Missouri and Kansas.

41 Action News is keeping track of all closings and cancellations, as well as tracking where positive coronavirus cases are located.

If you are a business finding unique ways to serve our community, check our KC Open for Business Facebook group to share your ideas.

Updates on the spread of the virus and how it is affecting the metro can be found below for Aug. 12.

7:10 p.m. | The Independence School District will begin serving drive-up lunches later this month. Student participating in online learning full-time and those in the hybrid plan can receive the meals beginning Aug. 24. More information can be found on the ISD website.

4:25 p.m. | The city of St. Louis will impose further restrictions on bars, restaurants and other similar venues, according to a KSDK report. Those places must limit capacity back to 50% and must close by 11 p.m. The restrictions come as the city continues to see an increase in COVID-19 cases, particularly in younger people.

3:18 p.m. | There were an additional 716 COVID-19 cases reported Wednesday in the seven-county Kansas City metropolitan area — the second-most for a single day since the start of the pandemic and fourth day of at least 700 new cases, all since July 17.

KC-area health departments also reported five more deaths from the virus, which has now claimed at least 1,423 lives in Missouri.

Statewide there were 1,472 new cases reported Wednesday in Missouri, which is the most since July 31.

Nationally, there have been more than 56,000 cases and nearly 1,200 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

2 p.m. | The Kansas Department of Corrections says a lockdown was implemented at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility's Central Unit after 84 inmates and 10 staff tested positive for COVID-19 this week.

Since the pandemic began, 99 inmates and 17 staff at the prison have tested positive, with five inmates and seven staff recovering from the virus.

All of the positive cares are asymptomatic, according to the corrections department.

As of Wednesday, all inmates in the Central Unit will remain locked in their cells, and necessary movement will be done in cohort groups. Essential workers in laundry and food service will operate on a limited schedule.

Some inmates may be relocated to Lansing Correctional Facility, the department said.

1 p.m. | Oak Park High School, part of North Kansas City Schools, is holding a school supply drive for those who will need supplies to complete classwork, even if classes are held virtually. The Oak Park Backpack Give Back Drive continues through Aug. 28. Donations can be dropped off at the school’s main office, 825 Northeast 79th Terrace in KCMO, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays. Donors also can leave items in the school's foyer for contactless drop off.

12:44 p.m. | Kansas added four additional deaths, including two in Wyandotte County and one in Johnson County, along with nearly 800 new COVID-19 cases in the latest update from the state's Department of Health and Environment.

Since the start of the pandemic, there are now 6,120 confirmed coronavirus cases in Johnson County, where the seven-day rolling average for positive testsremains well above 10%, and 5,182 in Wyandotte County, where the positivity rate is above 18%.

12:02 p.m. | Kansas has yet to announce a non-conference opponent for the 2020 season but its conference slate is set under the revised Big 12 football schedule, which was released Wednesday morning.

Here's the full slate of 10 games for Kansas State football, which opens Sept. 12 against Arkansas State, after the conference decided to press on with fall sports despite the pandemic.

11:15 a.m. | Dr. Lee Norman, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, will hold a news conference at 4 p.m. Wednesday to give an update on COVID-19 in the state. He will be joined by Dr. Chris Brown with the University of Kansas Medical Center. 41 Action News will live stream the news conference on Facebook.

11 a.m. | According to a study from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the U.S. saw 97,000 new cases of COVID-19 among children over the last two weeks of July. That includes a major increase in Missouri. The state reported more than 7,000 cases of COVID-19 in those ages 0-19 over the same time period.

10:50 a.m. | The Big 12 on Wednesday released details about its plans to proceed with fall sports, including football, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The conference also released a schedule for conference play, which begins Sept. 26.

10:18 a.m. | Amanda Adkins, who won the Republican nomination and will oppose Sharice Davids to represent Kansas’ 3rd District in Congress, has tested negative for COVID-19 after possible exposure at her victory party.

Adkins’ campaign was notified that an attendee, who the campaign said wore a mask and was asymptomatic, tested positive after the party Aug. 4 to celebrate her primary victory.

Adkins, her husband, Jason, and their children self-quarantined after learning of the possible exposure, but all tested negative Monday. She will return to the office next Tuesday, in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

9:32 a.m. | Approximately $37 million in funding from the CARES act has been approved for allocation in Wyandotte County, according to the Unified Government CARES Act Working Group.

The Wyandotte County Board of Commissioners gathered on Monday, Aug 10, to approve the funds.

"The funding was allocated using a data-informed scoring method. Applications from local organizations and institutions were received through an open submission portal on the Unified Government’s website," the working group said in a news release.

8:47 a.m. | University of Kansas Health System officials gave their daily COVID-19 update. The system is down to 30 virus patients from the 39 it had on Tuesday.

8:35 a.m. | Kansas City, Missouri, received its first portion of CARES Act funding from Jackson County, according to Mayor Quinton Lucas. The city received $18 million of the requested $54 million.

Our first $18M of CARES Act funding from Jackson County has now been received. Thank you, Jackson County. This funding will be used for things like health department, first responder, and direct governmental COVID expenses. https://t.co/7vhOHj76NU

— Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) August 12, 2020

7:20 a.m. | Just starting your day? We’ve got you covered with a quick look at what you need to know.

5:20 a.m. | The Johnson County Library is partnering with Catholic Charities to serve summer meals to children. The next event will be held from 10-11 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, at the Antioch library branch, 8700 Shawnee Mission Parkway in Merriam.

Children 18 and under can receive up to five breakfasts and five lunches every Wednesday through Sept. 2. It is free and no sign-up is required.

5 a.m. | After an unidentified person within the Sporting Kansas City II organization was diagnosed with COVID-19, the USL Championship league postponed the team’s next scheduled game.

The league announced Tuesday that Sporting KC II’s game Wednesday at Louisville City FC has been moved to Wednesday, Aug. 19.

For now, Sporting KC II’s next scheduled gameis Saturday at Saint Louis FC.

USL Championship is the only sanctioned Division II league in the U.S. Soccer Federation’s development pyramid.

Previous coverage:
March 2020 updates
April 2020 updates
May 2020 updates
June 2020 updates
July 2020 updates
Monday, August 3
Tuesday, August 4
Wednesday, August 5
Thursday, August 6
Friday, August 7
Monday, August 10
Tuesday, August 11