December was the deadliest month of the coronavirus pandemic in the Kansas City area. An average of 11 people died each day from COVID-19.
The Kansas City Star says the metropolitan area recorded 342 COVID-19 deaths through Dec. 30. All told, 1,353 metro area residents have died from the virus since the onset of the pandemic. The metro area includes residents in Missouri and Kansas.
In Missouri, the virus has claimed 5,519 lives, including 28 new deaths reported Thursday by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. The state also cited 3,714 new confirmed cases, bringing the total to 392,570 since the pandemic began.
