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President Trump approves disaster declaration for Missouri to combat COVID-19 outbreak Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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POSITIVE CASES KEEPS GOING UP IN KANSAS AND MISSOURI. GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. I’M KRIS KETZ. RECOVERING FROM COVID-19 AND HOW SOME PEOPLE ARE TURNING TO A DRUG SHOWING EARLY PROMISE. INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER MATT FLENER TALKED TO A SURGEON WHOSE PARENTS HAVE THE VIRUS >> HE’S GOING TO MAKE IT, I THINK, I HAVE A LOT OF HOPE AND FAIT MATT: DR. GREG MUNDIS PRAYS HIS FATHER GETS BETTER. DIAGNOSED WITH CORONAVIRUS, MUNDIS FATHER’ IS ON VENTILATOR IN SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI. HIS MOTHER, IN THE HOSPITAL, TO >> MY MOM, TWO DAYS AFTER THAT STARTED SPIKING A TEMPERATURE. WE GOT HER IN FOR TESTING IMMEDIATELY, IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM. MATT: MUNDIS IS A SURGEON FROM SAN DIEGO. HE HAS TOLD PEOPLE RECENTLY, HOW THE DRUG HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE, MOST LIKELY HELPED HIS MOM IN THE EARLY STAGES OF COVID-19 WITH A MILD CASE, AND UNDERLYING CONDITIONS. >> SHE’S THE ONE THAT SHOULD BE ON THE VENTILATOR BUT ISN’T, S IN SOME WAYS, I DO THINK THE DRUG HAS PROBABLY BEEN VERY MEANINGFUL FOR HER TO AVOID SORT OF THE SEVERITY OF THE POTENTIAL PROGRESSION OF THE DISEASE. MATT: IT’S A DRUG IN HIGH DEMAND ACROSS THE WORLD, AFTER PRESIDENT TRUMP TOUTED IT’S COMBINATION WITH ANOTHER DRUG AZITHROMYACIN. HIS FATHER, HE SAYS, GOT HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE WELL AFTER HIS DIAGNOSIS. HIS RECOVERY WILL TAKE LONGE AT THE SAME TIME, HE CAUTIONS PEOPLE SHOULDN’T RUSH TO THEIR DOCTORS FOR A PRESCRIPTION MATT: THE MIRACLE DRUG IS NOT HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE. IT’S STAYING AT HOME. WE GOTTA DO OUR PART. JUST STAY PUT. MATT: STRONG ADVICE AS HE PRAYS FOR THE BEST FOR HIS PARENTS KRIS: PHARMACISTS IN KANSAS CITY SAY THE DRUG IS IN SHORT SUPPLY. PHARMACY BOARDS ARE URGING CAUTION IN PRESCRIBING THE DRUG. NEW DETAILS ON A KANSAS CI , MISSOURI FIREFIGHTER TESTING POSITIVE FOR THE VIRUS. THE DEPARTMENT CONFIRMS THE FIREFIGHTER WAS TESTED F COVID-19 SIX DAY AGO AFTER CALLING IN SICK. THE POSITIVE RESULTS CAME BACK YESTERDAY. THE FIREFIGHTER IS IN SELF-QUARANTINE AT HOME. FIRE CHIEF DONNA MAIZE SAYS THE FIREFIGHTER HAD NO CONTACT WITH ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC. COVID-19 CASES ARE STILL ON THE RISE. MISSOURI HAS NOW REACHED THE 500-MARK IN POSITIVE CASES WITH 64 JUST IN KANSAS CITY MISSOURI. 168 PEOPLE HAVE TESTED POSITIV IN KANSAS WITH 59 OF THOSE FRO JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS. HERE’S A CHART SHOWING CASES IN BOTH STATES AND HOW THOSE NUMBERS HAVE GONE UP. MISSOURI GOVERNOR PARSON SAYS MANY OF THE STATE’S CASE INVOLVE PEOPLE AGES 20 TO 29. HE WAS ALSO ASKED IF NOW’S THE TIME FOR A STATEWI STAY-AT-HOME ORDER THE MISSOURI GOVERNOR SAID NO. >> I’VE GOT TO EVALUAT THAT WHETHER I SHUT DOWN THE ENTIRE STATE WITHOUT ORDER OR NOT. I STILL THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO, AND I THINK WHEN IT REALLY GETS DOWN TO ALL THE RED TAPE WE GET THROUGH, IT IS A MATTER OF STAYING HOME IF YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE OUT. KRIS: STAY-AT-HOME ORDER’S FOR CITIES LIKE KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI RUN THROUGH APRIL 24. MORE THAN 3 MILLION AMERICANS FILED FOR FIRST-TIME JOBLESS BENEFITS LAST WEEK THAT IS FOUR TIMES THE OLD RECORD HIGH SET IN 1982. SOME EXPERTS SAY TODAY’S NUMBERS MAY BE JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG AS JOBLESS NUMBERS COULD GET WORSE FROM HERE ON OUT. AS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS HERE. IN KANSAS, THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE FILING FOR JOBLESS BENEFITS IS AROUND 3,000 PER WEEK. LAST WEEK, THERE WERE 23,000. IN MISSOURI, THE AVERAGE NUMBER IS 7200 PER WEEK. LAST WEEK, 42,000. KMBC 9’S EMILY HOLWICK TAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT THE IMPACT MOVING FORWARD. EMILY: AS UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS SKYROCKET IN BOTH KANSAS A MISSOURI, THERE IS HOPE FOR SOME RELIEF FROM CONGRESS. >> RIGHT NOW, TODAY, THE MARKETS ARE UP. THE GOOD NEWS OF THE RELIEF PACKAGE SEEMS TO BE OUTWEIGHING THE BAD NEWS OF THE JOBS. EMILY: NATHAN MAUCK IS AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF FINANCE AT UMKC’S BLOCH SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT. HE SAYS THE SHARP INCREASE IN UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE PAST WEEK BY MORE THAN 1000% IN BOTH KANSAS AND MISSOURI IS UNPRECEDENTED. >> THIS IS DEFINITELY VERY QUICK SO THIS IS ONE OF THE STEEPE DROPS. EMILY: MAUCK SAYS THE LONG-TERM ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE VIRU REMAIN TO BE SEEN. >> LONG-TERM, WE ARE NOT TOTALLY SURE. I THINK IN THE SHORT TERM, THE UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS ARE PROBABLY GONNA GET WORSE BEFORE THEY GET BETTER. QUARANTINES HAVEN’T FULLY HIT YET. EMILY: HE IS HOPEFUL THE EVENTUAL REBOUND WILL BE AS SWIFT AS THE DOWNFALL. >> A LOT OF THESE LOSSES IN CASH THAT THE ECONOMY IS SEEING REALLY WILL BE LIMITED JUST TO THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE A SHUT DOWN. I THINK WHEN W GET RESTARTED, IT CAN RESTART QUICKLY. KRIS: PEOPLE NEEDING JOBLESS BENEFITS ARE ENCOURAGED TO FILE ONLINE. WE HAVE INFORMATION FOR KANS AND MISSOURI AT KMBC.COM. SOME POTENTIAL GOOD NEWS ON THE JOB FRONT. REPORTS IN DETROIT SAY FORD IS PLANNING TO REOPEN THE CLAYCOMO ASSEMBLY PLANT APRIL 14. 7200 PEOPLE WORK THERE BUILDING THE F-150 PICK-UP AND TRANSIT VANS. FORD PLANTS HAVE BEEN SHUT DOWN SINCE LAST FRIDAY. TOMORROW IS WHEN THE HOUSE IS SET TO VOTE THAT $2 TRILLION STIMULUS PACKAGE PASSED BY THE SENATE LATE LAST NIGHT. IT’S ONE OF THE LARGEST EMERGENCY AID PACKAGES IN U.S. HISTORY. IT’LL MEAN DIRECT PAYMENTS TO MILLIONS OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. IT’LL ALSO PAY FOR EXTENDED JOBLESS BENEFITS PLUS SMALL BUSINESS LOANS. HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI SAYS SHE EXPECTS IT TO PASS AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THE PRESIDENT HAS SAID HE’S READY TO SIGN IT INTO LAW. UNDER THE PLAN RIGHT NOW SINGLE AMERICANS WOULD GET 1$200. -- $1200. COUPLES WOULD GET $2400, AND PARENTS WOULD SEE $500 FOR EACH CHILD UNDER THE AGE OF 17. PAYMENTS WOULD START TO BE PHASED-OUT FOR PEOPLE WITH ADJUSTED GROSS INCOMES OF MORE THAN $75,000. PEOPLE MAKING MORE THAN $99,000 A YEAR GET NOTHING UNDER THE BILL. THE THRESHOLDS ARE DOUBLED FOR COUPLE KANSAS GOVERNOR KELLY SAYS THE STATE ALMOST RAN OUT OF CORONAVIRUS TEST KITS LAST WEEK. IN AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH OUR MICHEAL MAHONEY THE GOVERNOR TALKED ABOUT THAT AND MORE MICHAEL: THE GOVERNOR SAYS THE MAIN CONCERN IS, AS IT HAS BEEN FOR A WHILE, GETTING ENOUGH MEDICAL SUPPLIES. SHE SAYS THE LAST SHORTAGE WAS AVOIDED WHEN ANOTHER SET OF SUPPLIES ARRIVED FOR THIS WEEK. THEY HAVE ANOTHER ORDER THEY’RE STILL LOOKING FO THE GENERAL SHORTAGE OF TESTING KITS HAS LED TO RATIONING. >> JUST PARTICULARLY IN THE JOHNSON COUNTY AREA THIS HAPPENED WHERE WE PRETTY MUCH HAD TO SAY ONLY THOSE WHO WERE IN THE HOSPITALS WHO NEEDED IT AND NOW, THE FIRST RESPONDERS AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. MICHAEL: TODAY, THE GOVERNOR GOT A LETTER FROM THE WHITE HOUSE TALKING ABOUT EXPANDED TESTING. AND USING THAT DATA TO QUALIFY EACH COUNTY INTHE NATION INTO HIGH RISK, MEDIUM RISK AND L RISK AREAS. >> GLAD TO DO IT IF WE CAN GET THE TEST KITS. YOU KNOW THE PROBLEM HAS BEE THE LACK OF TEST KITS, THE LACK OF EQUIPMENT. MICHAEL: WHICH SHE BLAMES ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR THEIR, "REAL LATE START OUT OF THE GATE." KANSAS -- THE GOVERNOR ALSO DEFENDS HER CALL TO CANCEL THE REST OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. SHE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO MAKE SUCH A MOVE. SHE SAYS IT PROVIDES SOME CERTAINTY. KELLY SAYS THE PLAN FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION AT HOME ONLINE AND IN SOME CASES, WITH GROUPS OF LESS THAN 10 PEOPLE, TEACHERS INCLUDED, IS READY,, -- READY. SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE THE OPTION. SOME HAVE IMPLEMENTED A NUMBER OF THOSE THINGS. WE EXPECT EVERYBODY TO BE FLIPPING THER SWITCH BY MONDAY MORNING. KRIS: CAN TO CITY, MISSOURI POLICE SAY THEY ARE SEEING MORE PEOPLE SPEEDING ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS DURING THIS STAY-AT-HOME ORDER. ONE TRAFFIC OFFICER SAYS IN A MILE-AN-HOUR ZONE TODAY HE DIDN’T STOP A SINGLE PERSON GOING LESS THAN 80. THE KCPD TWITTER ACCOUNT ADDS SPEEDING ENDANGERS YOU AND EVERYONE AROUND YOU. IN KANSAS CITY, KANSAS, WYANDOTTE COUNTY IF YOU SEE A BUSINESS NOT COMPLYING WITH THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER DON’T CALL 911 UNLESS A CRIME IS HAPPENING. IT’S WHY KCK POLICE ARE LAUNCHING A SPECIAL HOT LINE TO CALL 913-225-4788 FOR KCK AND WYANDOTTE COUNTY ONLY. THE ONE IS ANSWERED 8:00 TO 5:00 MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. OFFICERS WILL THEN REACH OUT TO BUSINESSES IN HOPES OF VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE. IF THEY DON’T CITATIONS WILL BE ISSUED. THE BIG 12 CONFERENCE TAKES ANOTHER HIT AFTER CANCELING KANSAS CITY. LEN JENNINGS IS HERE WITH HOW MUCH MONEY THE LEAGUE LOST. LE THE COMMISSIONER SAYS A COST OF THE CONFERENCE $6.6 MILLION. THE BIG 12 ALREADY ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WERE CANCELING ALL SPRING SPORTS. THIS WEEKEND, THE SWEET SIXTEEN WAS SET TO TAKE OFF. THE NUMBER ONE RANKED KANSAS CITY JAYHAWKS AND BAYLOR BEARS BOTH LOOKED AT TO MAKE START -- STRONG PUSHES THROUGH MARCH MADNESS. >> IT HASN’T BEEN LOST ON US THAT THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A YEAR WHEN WE COULD COMPETE AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL AND BY THE WAY, THE WAY THAT THE NCAA DISTRIBUTION WORKS ON A SIX YEAR ROLLIN BASIS, THE MORE GAMES YOU WIN THE MORE UNIT TO SUCCESSFULL -- UNITS YOU SUCCESSFULLY ACHIEVE. IT PROBABLY HAD A FINANCIAL IMPACT ON US, TOO, BUT THEY WERE BOTH EXCELLENT BASKETBALL TEAMS, VERY WELL COACHED. BOTH WOULD HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO PLAY VERY DEEP IN THE TOURNAMENT. LEN: COMMISSIONER BOWLSBY SAYS THE BIG 12 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE IS SCHEDULED TO GO ON AS PLANNED. OF COURSE, HE SAYS, ANYTHING CAN CHANGE BACK TO YOU. KRIS: CHANGES ARE COMING TO SOME BIG EVENTS SOON. THE GARMIN MARATHON SET FOR APRIL 18 WILL GO VIRTUAL. ORGANIZERS ARE ASKING PEOPLE TO REGISTER ONLINE WHERE THEY C PICK THEIR OWN ROUTES AND RUN TIMES THEN SHARE THE RUN WITH OTHERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA PROCEEDS FROM THE RUN WILL BENEFIT THE OLATHE MAYOR’S CHRISTMAS TREE FUND. NOAH’S CROWN TOWN 5-K IS ALSO GOING VIRTUAL. NOAH WILSON WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER IN 2014. BEFORE HE PASSED AWAY, HE LAUNCHED A CAMPAIGN FOR HOSPITALS TO GIVE YOUNG PATIENTS COLORFUL BANDAGES TO HELP BRIGHTEN THEIR MOODS. THE CAMPAIGN HAS CONTINUED IN HIS MEMORY. A VIRTUAL 5-K IS SET FOR APRIL 19 WITH RUNNERS STILL GETTING A RACE SHIRT AND MEDAL WE HAVE ANSWERS TO MANY OF YOUR COVID-19 QUESTIONS AT KMBC.C