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Kansas adds 60 cases of COVID-19 to reach 1,106 mark Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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29.2. MISSOURI SCHOOLS WILL REMAIN CLOSED FOR THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. MOST DISTRICTS IN THE METRO HAVE BEEN CLOSED SINCE MID-MARCH. NOW SCHOOLS WILL CONTINUE TO WORK REMOTELY. THE GOVERNOR SPOKE BOUT THE CLASS OF 2020 THAT WAS SET TO GRADUATE NEXT MONTH. >> THE SENIOR CLASS OUT THERE, MY GRANDDAUGHTER IS ONE OF THOSE SENIOR CLASS OUT THERE FROM A SMALL SCHOOL. FOR YOU SENIORS, I UNDERSTAND HOW DISAPPOINTING THIS WILL BE TO NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT GRADUATION CEREMONY. LET ME ASSURE YOU THIS. WE WILL WORK WITH DESE AND THE SUPERINTENDENTS TO MAKE SURE YOU GET TO WALK DOWN THE AISLE AND RECEIVE A DIPLOMA AT SOME POINT. WE WILL TRY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. YOU HAVE WORKED HARD FOR 12 YEARS AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. HALEY: SCHOOL SERVICES WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. THAT INCLUDES MEAL DISTRIBUTION AND CHILD CARE SERVICES. ALSO BREAKING THIS AFTERNOON IN RENO COUNTY, KANSAS, AN INFANT HAS TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19. THE RENO COUNTY HOSPITAL SAYS THE CHILD HAS NO KNOWN TRAVEL HISTORY AND NO UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAYS IT’S CLOSELY WORKING WITH THE INFANT’S FAMILY AD THEY WILL MONITOR THE CHILD FOR FEVER AND RESPIRATORY ISSUES. KANSAS GOVERNOR LAURA KELLY TAKING ACTION AFTER LEGISLATORS REVERT HER -- REVOKED HER ORDER FOR NO RELIGIOUS GATHERINGS. MIKE: LEADERS PROVOKED HER COGNITION LIMIT ORDER OF JEOPARDIZING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF KANSANS. SHE WILL TAKE THEM TO COURT, SAYING THIS IS NOT A NORMAL POLITICAL DISAGREEMENT. >> WE DO NOT HAVE TIME TO PLAY CLINICAL GAMES DURING A PANDEMIC. I’M CONFIDENT THE SUPREME COURT WILL TAKE UP THIS MATTER AND ADJUDICATE IT QUICKLY. MIKE: MANY CHURCHES AND SYNAGOGUES HAVE ALREADY SUSPENDED SERVICES FOR FEAR OF SPREADING THE VIRUS. THE REVOCATION OF THE CHURCH LIMIT IS HEADLINE NEWS AMIDST HOLY WEEK, PASSOVER AND THE APPROACH OF RAMADAN. >> THE THREE ABRAHAM AT FACE ARE VERY MUCH IN THE NEWS -- ABRAHAM I IC FAITHS. MIKE: HE’S BEEN WRITING ABOUT RELIGION FOR YEARS. ANOTHER CONCERN IS COMING FROM THE KANSAS HEALTH DIRECTOR. ANY REPORT FOR THE CDC SUGGESTING THE VIRUS MAY BE MORE CONTAGIOUS THAN FIRST THOUGHT. >> THAT IS INDEED HOW IT SPREADS. IT WILL SPREAD LIKE WILDFIRE. THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN PLACES LIKE THE REHAB CENTERS. MIKE: THE GOVERNOR IS TAKING THE LEADERS TO COURT OVER STRIKING DOWN HER LIMITATION ON CONGREGATIONS AND CHURCHES, ACCUSING THE LEGISLATIVE LEADERS OF PLAYING POLITICS AT A TIME OF A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS. SHE IS ASKING THE STATE SUPREME COURT TO MOVE ON THIS QUICKLY. HALEY: IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THIS, NEW UNEMPLOYEMENT NUMBERS WERE RELEASED TODAY AND WE NOW KNOW ONE IN 10 AMERICANS IS WITHOUT A JOB. 6.6 MILLION AMERICANS APPLIED FOR JOBLESS BENEFITS LAST WEEK DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK. KMBC 9’S BRIE JACKSON IS IN WASHINGTON WITH A CLOSER LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AND WHAT FEDERAL LEADERS ARE DOING TO HELP. >> A TRAGEDY THAT IS EVEN HARD TO COMPREHEND. BRIE: ON REPUBLICANS LOOKED TO THURSDAY, FAST-TRACK AN EXTRA $250 BILLION FOR SMALL BUSINESS LOANS. >> LETS PASS MORE NON-CONTROVERSIAL FUNDING FOR AMERICANS PAYCHEX. BRIE: DEMOCRATS BLOCKED THE EFFORT PUSHING FOR INCREASED , PROTECTIONS FOR MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESSES AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR FRONTLINE WORKERS. >> AFTER ALL IF WE WANT TO , ADDRESS THE ECONOMIC CRISIS WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE HEALTH CRISIS THAT PRECIPITATED THAT 33 -- THAT. BRIE: NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE AS CITIES AND STATES SCRAMBLE TO KEEP UP WITH SURGING CASES AND UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS. THE ECONOMY IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN STAGNANT THROUGH APRIL AND EXPERTS PREDICT MORE JOB LOSSES AHEAD. >> IT APPEARS WE ARE POSSIBLY IN FOR THE MOST SEVERE QUARTERLY DECLINE IN OUR NATION’S HISTORY . BRIE: WITH FEDERAL AID RUNNING LOW, SMALL BUSINESS AND LAID-FF WORKERS URGE CONGRESS TO ACT SOON. >> WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS MAK SURE THAT IT IS DONE IN THE BEST WAY FOR THE MOST PEOPLE. >> I DO NOT THINK PEOPLE SHOULD PLAY POLITICS WITH THE PANDEMIC. HALEY: MORE THAN 140,000 PEOPLE IN KANSAS AND MISSOURI FILED UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS LAST WEEK. THERE IS A SMALL AMOUNT OF GOOD NEWS TO SHARE WITH YOU. THOSE NUMBERS ARE FALLING. BREAKING THAT DOWN BY STATE, MORE THAN 91,000 PEOPLE FILED NEW CLAIMS IN MISSOURI. IN KANSAS, MORE THAN 50,000 . JOBLESS CLAIMS HAVE STRETCHED UNEMPLOYMENT SYSTEMS IN KANSAS -- IN BOTH THE STATES. KMBC 9’S MATT FLENER SPOKE WITH A LONG-TIME KANSAS CITY SPORTS PERSONALITY ABOUT HIS JOURNEY THROUGH UNEMPLOYMENT. >> I’M NOT AFRAID TO SHARE THINGS, BECAUSE SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT BE GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING. MATT: HE’S HAD A HIGHLIGHT CAREER, BUT FOR THE PAST TWO AND A HALF WEEKS VETERAN KANSAS CITY RADIO AND TV HOST BRAD PORTER’S FOUND HIMSELF UNEMPLOYED. >> YOU CAN’T SIT THERE AND THINK THAT YOU DID A BAD JOB, OR IT WAS YOUR FAULT. MATT: ON SOCIAL MEDIA, PORTER HAS STAYED EXTREMELY POSITIVE NAVIGATING AN OVERLOADED UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIM SYSTEM IN MISSOURI. >> THE ADVICE I WAS GIVEN IS TO TRY AND DO IT LATE AT NIGHT. MAYBE WHILE THE TRAFFIC IS LOWER, SO I MAY HAVE TO SET MY ALARM FOR 2:00 IN THE MORNING. >> WE HAVE MADE PROGRESS. MATT: IN KANSAS, THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR’S ADDED 85 CALL TAKERS TO HANDLE QUESTIONS DUE TO AN OVERLOADED SYSTEM ADDING TO FRUSTRATION THE CLAIMS , APPEALS UNIT HAS BEEN CLOSED - AFTER GOVERNOR KELLY’S SHUT DOWN ORDER OVE THE PAST FEW WEEKS. >> WE ARE LOOKING TO GET THEM BACK ONLINE, AT LEAST PARTIALLY THIS WEEK. >> IS NOT ABOUT YOU. MATT: PORTER HAS A MESSAGE OF HOPE IN THESE TOUGH TIMES. >> YOU CAN BE ANGRY, SAD, UPSET, CRY IF YOU WANT TO, BUT THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO STAY POSITIVE BECAUSE AT SOME POINT, SOMETHING IS GOING TO COME BACK FOR YOU. MATT: MATT FLENER, KMBC 9 NEWS. HALEY: WALL STREET ANALYSTS SAY LEAWOOD-BASED AMC THEATERS WILL LIKELY FILE FOR BANKRUPTCY. ITS CASH RESERVES ARE DWINDLING AS MANY AMERICANS FOLLOW STAY AT HOME ORDERS. ANALYSTS BELIEVE AMC IS LOSING AROUND $150 MILLION A MONTH WHICH MEANS IT COULD RUN OUT BY THIS SUMMER. THE COMPANY FURLOUGHED 600 STAFFERS LAST MONTH. FOR THE THIRD DAY IN A ROW THE STATE OF NEW YORK CONTINUES TO SET RECORDS FOR THE NUMBER OF DEATHS RELATED TO COVID-19. YESTERDAY THE CITY HIT 799 DEATHS IN JUST ONE DAY. 42% OF CONFIRMED DEATHS IN THE UNITED STATES ARE FROM THE EMPIRE STATE. THE NUMBER OF CONFIRMED COVID-19 CASES CONTINUES TO GROW IN BOTH KANSAS AND MISSOURI AS WELL. MISSOURI JUMPED MORE THAN 200 CASES AND 19 DEATHS IN THE LAST 24 HOURS. IN KANSAS, THERE ARE NOW MORE THAN A 1100 CASES WITH 42 DEATHS. -- ABOUT TO START RANDOM TESTING OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FOR COVID-19. EMILY HOLWICK IS LIVE IN OLATHE TO EXPLAIN HOW THIS IS GOING TO WORK AND WHAT HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE HOPING TO FIND OUT. EMILY: THE JOHNSON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS WORKING WITH A MARKETING AND RESEARCH FIRM IN OLATHE. THEY ARE USING AN ONLINE SURVEY TO DECIDE WHO THIS FIRST GROUP OF 500 PEOPLE WILL BE WHO ARE RANDOMLY SELECTED TO GET THAT TESTING, WHICH IS STARTING TOMORROW. IT IS HERE IN OLATHE. THE GOAL IS TO TEST AT LEAST 2000 PEOPLE IN THE COMING WEEKS IN JOHNSON COUNTY TO DETERMINE HOW MITIGATION EFFORTS ARE WORKING. IS SOCIAL DISTANCING MAKING AN IMPACT TO REDUCE THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS? IS THERE A LARGE POPULATION AFFECTED BUT HAVE NO SYMPTOMS? THE FIRST GROUP TESTED TOMORROW WILL HAVE RECEIVED AN EMAIL WITH INFORMATION. THIS IS NOT JUST FOR ANYONE TO SHOW UP AND GET TESTED. YOU HAVE TO BE SELECTED. THEY WERE CHOSEN BY THE MARKETING AND RESEARCH FIRM ETCS INSTITUTE. SOME REPORTED SYMPTOMS AND SOME DID NOT. DRIVE-THROUGH TESTING WILL HAPPEN AT THE COLLEGE BOULEVARD ACTIVITY CENTER. PRIVATE LABS WILL TEST THE SAMPLES COLLECTED. WE SPOKE WITH AN EPIDEMIOLOGIST AT THE JOHNSON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT. SHE SAID THAT TESTING IS REALLY CRITICAL TO GET BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE SPREAD. >> WE KNOW PEOPLE ARE BEING UNDIAGNOSED, WHICH GIVES US AN INCOMPLETE PICTURE OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE MAJORITY PEOPLE TESTED ARE HOSPITALIZED, ALREADY HAVING SEVERE ILLNESS. EMILY: JOHNSON COUNTY IS HOPING TO CONTINUE THIS RANDOMIZED TESTING IN THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS AS SUPPLIES AND FUNDING LAST. REPORTING LIVE IN OLATHE, EMILY HOLWICK, KMBC 9 NEWS. HALEY: ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY DATA NOW POINTS TO A RACIAL DISPARITY AMONG COVID-19 PATIENTS. AFRICAN-AMERICANS ARE DYING AT A HIGHER RATE. KMBC 9’S BIANCA BELTRAN TAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT ISSUE HERE IN THE KANSAS CITY METRO. BIANKA: DATA SHOW THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF CASES IS IN THE THIRD DISTRICT, WHICH HAS THE HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN RESIDENTS WITH UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS THAT MAKE PEOPLE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE VIRUS. BRANDON ELLINGTON POINTS TO SOCIOECONOMIC DISPARITIES >> THE AVERAGE PERSON WORKS SOME TYPE OF SERVICE JOB. DRIVING METRO BUSES TO WORKING AT GROCERY STORES, TO BEING NURSES AT THE HOSPITALS. A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS AREA DON’T HAVE THE LUXURY OR PRIVILEGE TO WORK FROM HOME. BIANCA: SAMUEL ROGERS HEALTH CENTER IS HANDLING OEDIPAL CARE AND THAT THEIR DISTRICT. 30 DIFFERENT LINKAGES ARE SPOKEN BY PATIENTS AT THIS CLINIC. MEDICAL STAFF WORK WITH THEM TO NOT ONLY ADDRESS ILLNESS, BUT FACTORS SURROUNDING THEIR HEALTH CARE. >> WE LOOK AT SAFETY OF THE HOME. HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE IN THE HOME. IT DOES INCREASE YOUR RISK OF SPREADING COVID-19. WE LOOK AT FOOD INSECURITY. WE HAVE PATIENTS THAT COME HERE THAT DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT FOR THEMSELVES OR THEIR CHILDREN. BIANCA: SHE SAYS THE CLINICAL HELP ANYONE WHO WALKS THROUGH THE DOORS BECAUSE IT TAKES EVERYONE TO STOP THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS. BIANCA BELTRAN, KMBC 9 NEWS. HALEY: WE CHECKED WITH HEALTH DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE METRO. JACKSON COUNTY WILL NOT INCLUDE RACE AND ITS REPORTS. NEITHER WILL KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI. THE CITY SAYS IT HAS TOO MANY UNKNOWNS TO INCLUDE RACE. THE STATE OF KANSAS IS WORKING TO INCLUDE RACE AND THE REPORTS. THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER THE COVERS KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI AND JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI IS SET TO EXPIRE APRIL 24. MAYOR QUINTON LUCAS TALKED ABOUT WHAT IS NEXT. >> FOR US IN KANSAS CITY, AS DISTINGUISHED FROM STATEWIDE IN MISSOURI AND WOULD HAPPEN STATEWIDE IN KANSAS, WE LET PUBLIC-HEALTH GUIDE WHAT WE ARE DOING. THE ORDER SET TO EXPIRE SOMEWHAT SOON. WE WILL TALK TO OUR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS. WE MAY NEED A LITTLE EXTRA TIME TO MAKE SURE WE ARE CONTINUING OUR MITIGATION STEPS TO FLATTEN THE CURVE. WE WILL NOT RESEND OR WITHDRAW OR REDUCE THE ORDER UNTIL SUCH -- FOR PUBLIC HEALTH. THAT APPLIES TO EVERYTHING FROM A CHURCH SERVICE TO A SCHOOL. ALL ARE TREATED THE SAME BECAUSE WE WANT EVERYONE TO BE SAFE AND HEALTHY. HALEY: THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER HAS CHANGED THE WAY WE ARE DOING THINGS, ESPECIALLY WITH HEALTH CARE. AT CHILDREN’S MERCY DOCTORS AND NURSES ARE USING TELEMEDICINE MORE FOR OUTPATIENT VISITS. ONLY 1% OF APPOINTMENTS USED BE DONE VIRTUALLY. IN RECENT WEEKS IT JUMPED TO 65%. IT’S A WAY TO EVALUATE CHILDREN FROM HOME. PARENTS MIGHT BE ASKED TO HELP BUT THE DOCTORS TAKE THE LEAD. >> THE PROVIDERS ARE STILL DOING THE INTERPRETATIONS. YOU CAN GENTLY PUSH ON YOUR CHILD’S ABDOMEN, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE PROVIDER CAN TELL BY LOOKING AT THE CHILD IF THAT IS CAUSING DISCOMFORT. HALEY: SOME PATIENTS WILL STILL NEED TO BE SEEN IN PERSON. RIGHT NOW THIS CAN BE A VALUABLE SCREENING TOOL. IT’S A SAFER WAY TO HELP FAMILIES GET ANSWERS DURING THE PANDEMIC. LOCAL DISTILLER J. RIEGER HAS MADE SOME BIG CHANGES DURING THE PANDEMIC. STARTING NEXT WEEK, YOU’LL BE ABLE TO BUY THE HAND SANITIZER THEY’VE BEEN PRODUCING IN SEVERAL METRO GROCERY STORES. THE COMPANY SAYS IN THE LAST 3 WEEKS THEY’VE PRODUCED ALMOST 36,000 GALLONS OF HAND SANITIZER. THEY SAY THEY’LL KEEP GOING