Missouri sees summer rise in COVID-19 cases

POSITIVE FOR COVID-19.SO TONIGHT -- WE'RETAKING A CLOSER LOOK ATMISSOURI -- AS THE STATELEADS THE NATION IN THERATE OF NEW COVID-19CASES.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER EMMA JAMESTALKED WITH KANSAS CITYHOSPITAL LEADERS ABOUTWHAT THIS COULD MEANFOR THE METRO.EMMA JAMES, REPORTING"Dr. Mark Steele, ChiefClinical Officer here at TrumanMedical Centers/UniversityHealth, says it doesn't feelgreat hearing Missouri isleading the nation in newCovid-19 cases because it'ssomething that's completelypreventable."DR. MARK STEELE, CHIEFCLINICAL OFFICER, TRUMANMEDICAL CENTERS/UNIVERSITYHEALTH"There's no question thatwhere we are seeingoutbreaks is in areas wherethere are lower vaccinationrates so it's really theunvaccinated population thatis at risk for developingcovid."DR STEELE SAYSMISSOURI'S RECENT SPIKEIN COVID-19 CASES BRINGSSOME CONCERN ABOUT ARISE IN CASES IN THEMETRO.THE GOOD NEWS FORKANSAS CITY THOUGH HESAYS -DR. MARK STEELE, CHIEFCLINICAL OFFICER, TRUMANMEDICAL CENTERS/UNIVERSITYHEALTH"In the urban areas as weknow that the vaccinationrates are higher than the ruralareas so we hopefully have anadditional layer of protection."AMONG THE STATE'SRECENTOVIDOUTBREAKS IN THENORTHWEST ANDSOUTHWEST REGIONS -THE DELTA VARIANT ISBECOMING MOREDOMINANT.HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY IT'SBEEN PROVEN TO BE EVENMORE CONTAGIOUS ANDPOSSIBLY EVEN MOREDEADLY THAN OTHERS.THEY CONTINUE TO POINTTO VACCINES AS KEYPROTECTION.DR. STEVE STITES, CHIEFMEDICAL OFFICER, THEUNIVERSITY OF KANSAS HEALTHSYSTEM"Remember the other reasonfor vaccination is that it helpsprotect others because youtend not to spread the diseaseas much, and by having avaccine that the virus is lesslikely to reproduce a lot insideof us, and therefore createvariants."STEELE SAYS TRUMANMEDICALCENTERS/UNIVERSITYHEALTH IS LAUNCHINGNEW INITIATIVES TO GETTHOSE VACCINATED WHOAREN'T YET.HE WORRIES RECENTOUTBREAKS WILL ONLYCONTINUE IF THE STATEDOESN'T INCREASE ITSVACCINATION RATE.DR. MARK STEELE, CHIEFCLINICAL OFFICER, TRUMANMEDICAL CENTERS/UNIVERSITYHEALTH"We know that these vaccinesare so highly efficacious andvery very safe so there realis just no good reason not forpeople to get the vaccinprotect themselves, protecttheir families, protect theirloved ones particularly thosewho are unvaccinated."IN KANSAS CITY, EMMAJAMES, 41 ACTION NEWS.41 ACTION NEWS ASKEDTHE MISSOURIDEPARTMENT OF HEALTHAND SENIOR SERVICESABOUT THE RISE IN CASESIN PARTS OF MISSOURI.A SPOKESPERSON SAIDTHE DEPARTMENT ISMONITORING THESITUATION -- AND NOTEDVACCINATIONS ARE THEMOST EFFECTIVE MEANSOF BATTLING COVID-19TRANSMISSION.IN A STATEMENT -- THESPOKESPERSON WROTE --QUOTE:AT THIS CURRENT PHASE,WE ARE WORKING IN MORETARGETED EFFORTSENGAGINGBUSINESSES/EMPLOYERS,SCHOOLS AND CHURCHESTO PROVIDE VACCINATIONOPPORTUNITIES IN THEIRCOMMUNITIES.WE ARE ALSO ENGAGED INA TARGETED ANDAGGRESSIVE STATEPUBLIC EDUCATIONEFFORT ENCOURAGINGTHOSE MISSOURIANS NOTYET VACCINATED TO DOSO.IN OUR AREA -- THEPOSITIVITY RATE HASREMAINED LOW.FOR THE FIRST HALF OFJUNE...ACCORDING TO THE MID-AMERICA REGIONALCOUNCIL --THE 14-DAY AVERAGE OFPOSITIVE CASES WASUNDER FIVE-PERCENT.THE DAILY AVERAGE OFNEW CASES WAS THELOWEST AT ANY POINTTHIS YEAR.BUT IT COMES WITH ACATCH --TESTING FOR COVID-19HAS DROPPEDDRAMATICALLY.THE MID-AMERICAREGIONAL COUNCILBELIEVES THE DAILYAVERAGE OF TESTSSHOULD BE 3-THOUSAND-150.THE METRO HASN'T HITTHAT BENCHMARK SINCEEARLY FEBRUARY...AND TESTING FOR THEFIRST HALF OF THISMONTH IS LESS THAN 50-PERCENT OF THERECOMMENDED TESTINGRATE.IN A RISK ASSESSMENT BYTHE MID-AMERICAREGIONAL COUNCIL --THE GROUP NOTED --QUOTE:"WITH THIS LOW LEVEL OFTESTING, IT IS DIFFICULTTO UNDERSTAN