UMKC has reported 14 new on-campus coronavirus cases for the week of Sept. 20. This brings the total number of on-campus cases to 84 since the beginning of the school year on Aug. 17.
The total number of recorded off-campus cases from students and staff has reached 62.
In messages following each report of new on-campus cases, UMKC said, “Any individuals who potentially may have been exposed are being contacted.”
In campus messages, UMKC has requested that students, faculty and staff report positive test results to the university within four hours of receiving the results.
UMKC’s sister school, the University of Missouri (MU) has reported 1,546 student cases since Aug. 19. 1,451 of those students have recovered, while the remaining 95 cases are active.
“The number of active cases of COVID-19 is trending down,” said MU Vice Chancellor Dr. Bill Stackman in a message to students. “This is due to the responsible decisions the vast majority of you have made to help keep everyone in our community safe, so thank you.”
MU has cracked down on student violations of public health codes. In the past week, five students were suspended and 14 were put on probation. This is in addition to three suspensions and two expulsions from the week before.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson and his wife, First Lady Teresa Parson, both tested positive for coronavirus on Sept. 23. According to a statement from the governor’s office, the first lady will remain isolated until Sept. 28, and the governor will isolate until Oct. 3.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (MDHSS) excoriated an NPR article that reported Governor Parson would be attending a fall festival before completing a 14-day quarantine. The MDHSS said on Twitter that the article was “filled with misinformation,” and emphasized a difference between quarantine and isolation.
Over last week, the coronavirus death toll in the US surpassed 200,000. The death toll in Missouri is over 2,000.
