KANSAS CITY&nbsp; (AP) — As the number of new coronavirus cases continues to climb in the Kansas City area, a spike in deaths is creating even more worry.The region on Thursday cited 11 deaths from COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. That was most of any single day since the pandemic began.The Kansas City metro area also reported 378 new cases, the most new cases in more than a week. That figure includes cases metro area cases in both Missouri and Kansas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595005333645.png" alt="July 17, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>July 17, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>On Friday, the Kansas Department of health confirmed the number of&nbsp; coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 1,032 to a total of 21,965.&nbsp; Kansas has recorded 299 deaths from the virus compared 1,121 deaths in Missouri.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.

Single-day record number of virus deaths reported in KC metro area