Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas said Thursday he is extending the city's mask mandate into January 2021 amid growing coronavirus case numbers. Lucas said Thursday he is expanding Kansas City's State of Emergency through Jan. 16, 2021, and the decision was based on a sharp spike in COVID-19 cases within the city in the past month.“Until there’s a widely available vaccine, COVID-19 is here to stay—with serious potential health consequences for those infected,” Lucas said. “Mask-wearing, social distancing and basic hygiene continue to be the most effective way to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and we appreciate all who take their personal responsibility to protect their family, friends and neighbors seriously. I will continue to work with Dr. Archer and our City health leaders to take any decisive action necessary—especially as we head into the fall and winter months—to best protect our community.”The city has seen an 89% increase in reported cases over the past 30 days. Just this week, from Sunday through Wednesday, 623 new cases have been reported within Kansas City’s jurisdiction. Even without additional cases for the week, this would rank as one of the highest weekly totals for the city since the start of the pandemic. Health officials said the city is facing increasing cases coming from long-term care facilities and nursing homes, along with a high number of cases among young adults at social gatherings.“It is now obvious to everyone that COVID-19 is not going away over the next five months,” Kansas City Health Department Director Dr. Archer said. “As we move out of summer and into fall and winter, we will still be confronting this health emergency. Our cases continue to rise, with a 115 percent increase in the 20-29 age group between June and July. We need every person, every business, every organization to commit to stopping transmission so our kids can get back to school and our businesses can thrive.”Lucas said when it comes to spread, don't just blame the bars, as has been done in other cities in the state. Lucas cited a problem with informal spread at house parties, and other social gatherings and events. Case increases in adults ages 20 to 30 have been concerning. Department officials worry current case numbers may be low compared to what’s actually happening in the community. They believe some cases aren’t being reported.The city’s first mask order was issued by Lucas on June 27 and was extended to July 10, before being pushed to the current end date of Aug. 15. Under the order, all employees or visitors to any place of public accommodation must wear face coverings in an area or while performing an activity which will necessarily involve close contact or proximity to coworkers or the public where 6 feet of separation is not feasible.Exceptions to the face covering requirement are as follows: Minors, with strong guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Kansas City Health Department that children over age 2 wear face coverings. People who have disabilities that: Prevent them from comfortably wearing or taking off face coverings. Prevent them from communicating while wearing face coverings. People who have respiratory conditions or breathing trouble. People who have been told by a medical, legal or behavioral health professional not to wear face coverings. People who are seated in a restaurant or tavern and are actively engaged in consuming food or drink while adequately distanced from other patrons.Many areas of the Kansas City metro area – including Jackson County in Missouri and Wyandotte County and Johnson County in Kansas – also have mask mandates in effect. The state of Kansas also has a mask requirement in place, however, local counties have the ability to determine if they follow Gov. Laura Kelly’s order.