If there’s one thing regarding COVID-19 we can be thankful for in the KC metro area, it’s that our case-and-death totals are less than half those of the St. Louis metro area.
I noticed the disparity a day or two ago while checking the Kansas and Missouri statistics.
Of course, the St. Louis metro area has a larger population than the Kansas City area (about 2.8 million versus about 2.1 million), but the COVID-19 gap is much greater than the population difference.
As of Friday, the eight-county St. Louis area had 2,862 cases, while the six-county Kansas City area had 1,163 cases.
On deaths, metro St. Louis was slightly more than double metro KC, with 75 there compared to 37 here.
Like our area, the St. Louis area straddles a state line. The St. Louis area consists, basically, of St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Jefferson County and Franklin County in Missouri and St. Clair County, Madison County and Monroe County in Illinois.
The Kansas City area consists of Kansas City, Jackson County, Clay County and Platte County in Missouri and Wyandotte County, Johnson County and Leavenworth County in Kansas.
The case-and-death comparison is even more striking when you consider just the two largest jurisdictions in each of the two metro areas. St. Louis City and St. Louis County had a combined 2,047 cases and 46 deaths, while Kansas City and Jackson County had a combined 486 cases and 11 deaths.
Friday afternoon I sent an email to Dr. Rex Archer, Kansas City health director, asking if he had any theories on the disparity.
In his reply, he cited the population difference but added: “Our KC outbreak seems to have started in Kansas, so we got a little head start on social distancing. We seem to be about 7 to 14 days behind St. Louis in our epi (epidemic) curve.”
Another factor contributing to KC’s head start, he said, was Greene County (Springfield) was out front of Kansas City.
Based on Dr. Archer’s assessment, I assume the pandemic will peak in St. Louis before Kansas City and the case-and-death gap will narrow. So far, however, we’ve been relatively fortunate on the western side of the state.
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One regrettable commonality that both metro areas share is the services of a truly lousy governor — Mike Parson — who, of course succeeded one of the worst governors in Missouri history, Eric Greitens.
I wrote the other day what a great job New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is doing with his daily briefings/news conferences, providing tons of pertinent information and accommodating reporters with substantive and respectful Q-and-A sessions.
Even President Trump, as pontificating and boring as he is, takes questions from the media at each of his briefings. But not Parson. He has not taken questions from the media at his periodic briefings since before March 10. He used as his excuse for the policy change his order of that day — March 10 — banning gatherings of 10 or more.
Well, how convenient!!
The Star reported Friday that in lieu of spontaneous questions, the governor requires reporters to submit questions by email an hour in advance. Even that is no guarantee he will answer those questions, however.
The Star’s story said, for example, that Parson did not answer a question a Star reporter submitted on April 3 about the governor’s “stay-at-home” order of April 2.
Mark Gordon, president and chief executive officer of the Missouri Broadcasters association, said in a statement it was frustrating and disappointing that Parson, unlike President Trump and most governors, was ducking the media.
“It’s challenging to be transparent when you can’t get follow up questions or be able to ask questions of the governor right on the spot,” Gordon said.
Parson’s reluctance to meet the press will give ammunition to Democratic State Auditor Nicole Galloway, who in all likelihood will be running against Parson in November, but Parson is gambling that won’t be a big issue with Republican voters.
Sadly, he’s probably right. This state has gone from purple to bright red during the last decade or so, and there’s no indication it’s going to change. Trump and Parson should easily prevail in Missouri in November.
JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC 
A bunch of the credit for lower cases/deaths in our area has to go to KC Mayor Quinton Lucas and other area mayors who followed his lead to disperse gatherings. They were well ahead of Governors, particularly Parson who still doesn’t seem to grasp the core issues of COVID-19. It’s a killer. No vaccine, no cure. If your body can’t beat it, you die. So could others you pass it to.
You’re right about Mayor Lucas — he’s done an excellent job.
You missed one demographic in your comparison of St Louis and KC, St Louis has an African/American population of 49%, while KC is 29% about half of St Louis. Covid 19 kills those with underlying conditions and the African/American population leads the pack in diabetes, heart conditions, all contributing to the death rate. Covid has hit people of color twice as hard as whites, just another disparity in our “equal” society.
Good point, Karl. And I’m sure you’re talking about city to city on those percentages, not area to area. The respective suburban figures would narrow that gap, but, like you say, it’s significant.
Comparing St. Louis City to Kansas City doesn’t reflect a true comparison as StL City is ~68 square miles and KC is ~400? Points about underlying health issues with Africa Ams are well taken.
https://www.opendatanetwork.com/entity/1600000US2941348/Lees_Summit_MO/geographic.population.density?year=2018
The difference may lie here; StL is far more dense, more transit riders etc.
Great information, Tom…Let me boil it down so the readers don’t have to wade through a mountain of statistics, graphs and explanations…
In 2018, St. Louis City had 5,028 residents per square mile; Kansas City had 1,529 residents per square mile.
Landlocked St. Louis covers only 66 square miles; Kansas City fans out over 319 square miles.
Exactly; latest stats are 5,101 per sq mi (STL: 60th largest city) vs 1,498 per sq mi (KC: 36th largest city).
STL has the exact issue that drove the infection rate/death toll in NYC so high.
Republican voters like to vote for candidates who bash the media. After all, we’re Public Enemy No. 1, right?
Very true, Rick…Most don’t want their line of thought interrupted with facts that, if found to be true, could shatter their carefully crafted illusions.
As for whether city officials in general and Mayor Lucas in particular have done an “excellent job,” allow me to share the following information.
I exchanged several Tweets with Rex Archer on Thursday. One of the topics was the drive-in church services which have been held in KC, and at least one (and probably more) is scheduled to occur tomorrow. Basically, attendees (theoretically) stay in their cars in the church parking lot and observe some sort of service.
I asked for Archer’s opinion of these services. He retweeted my question with this response: “So called drive-in services are likely to violate the social distancing requirements or their is no real reason to do them so they are not allowed under the order.” Archer has over 3,000 followers, so I have no doubt most of the city leaders (civic and govt.) and media are on his list. I’m sure Lucas was following Archer’s and my exchange, because Lucas quickly “liked” at least one of Archer’s responses. https://twitter.com/RexArcherMD/status/1248450312098152448
Last night, a church (i.e., United Believers KC) sent out a Tweet announcing they will be holding a drive-in service on Sunday. Today, I have sent out about a half-dozen Tweets to over a dozen government officials (including Lucas and KCPD) and media 1) reminding them that at least one drive-in service is being scheduled for tomorrow and 2) providing them with Archer’s Tweet that “drive-in services…are not allowed under the order.” https://twitter.com/UBCCKCMO/status/1248769549064953858
So far, the response to my Tweets today has been underwhelming, i.e., I have received zero responses. I hope I’m wrong, but I assume the drive-in services will go on as scheduled in spite of Archer’s tweeted opinion. Bottom line: I’m not ready to declare the city is doing an “excellent job.”
More reluctant, recalcitrant Governors should be called out.