The coronavirus is killing black Missourians at a disproportionate rate, especially in the two urban areas of the state, prompting some local African American leaders to question if outreach is falling short.
Sixteen of the 19 people who have died in St. Louis were black, as were 20 of the 42 victims in St. Louis County and five of the eight victims in Kansas City.
Missouri NAACP President Nimrod "Rod" Chapel is calling for the state to lead the effort to help blacks get tested and treated. So far, he says, the state is failing to do so.