In the last few months, rural counties in both Kansas and Missouri have seen some of the highest rates of COVID-19 in the country.

Critically ill rural patients are often sent to city hospitals for high-level treatment, and as their numbers grow, urban hospitals are under added strain.

Dr. Marc Larsen, an emergency care physician and Director of Operations for Saint Luke's COVID-19 Response Team, explains how this trend is impacting many Kansas City hospitals.

Read the full NPR story: Rural Areas Send Their Sickest Patients To The Cities, Straining Hospital Capacity

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