Coronavirus updates: Kansas health officials report 747 cases, 108 in Sedgwick County

Here is the coronavirus news to know for Sunday, April 5. For Saturday’s daily update from The Wichita Eagle, click here.

New Kansas coronavirus numbers

Public health officials now report 747 positive cases of COVID-19 in Kansas and 108 in Sedgwick County amid the coronavirus pandemic.

A Kansas Department of Health and Environment report updated Sunday morning lists the new coronavirus numbers in the state, including 22 deaths and at least 183 hospitalizations. There have been 7,476 negative tests statewide.

The oldest COVID-19 patient in Kansas is 97. The youngest is less than a year old. The average age is 54.

Though Sedgwick County has the third-most confirmed cases in Kansas and is home to Wichita, the state’s largest city, its testing rate lags behind both surrounding counties and those in the Kansas City area. State numbers show 786 people have been tested in Sedgwick County for a testing rate of 1.52 per 1,000 people. That’s less than half the rate of 3.06 in Johnson County, which has 192 cases, and less than a third of the rate of 5.11 in Wyandotte County, which has 158 cases.

In the Wichita area, only Sumner County at 1.40 has a lower testing rate than Sedgwick County. Two cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the county to the south.

No positive cases have been reported in Kingman County, but its testing rate of 1.82 is higher than Sedgwick County’s. Reno County reports nine cases and a testing rate of 2.61; Butler County eight cases and a rate of 1.72; Harvey County two cases and a rate of 1.57; and Cowley County one case and a rate of 1.83.

Sedgwick County officials did not respond to a request for comment Sunday afternoon on why the local testing rate is lower than other counties and how the relatively low testing rate is affecting efforts to fight the pandemic.

Coffey County, where 24 patients have tested positive, has the highest testing rate in Kansas at 9.54. A coronavirus cluster has been identified at the Life Care Centers of America skilled nursing facility in Burlington.

Statewide, 102 of the 105 counties have had at least one test. Only Elk, Greeley and Wichita counties have yet to have a coronavirus test.

The Sedgwick County Health Department reports that 21 local patients have recovered from the coronavirus disease, which means either their symptoms have been gone for at least 72 hours or that it has been at least a week since their symptoms started. One death has been reported in the county. The patient was a resident of a Wichita suburb.

Drive-in church services

Sedgwick County officials said in a news release that “drive-in church services” are allowed during the coronavirus pandemic, as long as certain rules are followed. The county said that people may park vehicles in every other space in a church parking lot as a minister leads outdoor services with a microphone or a radio signal. No one is allowed to go to or leave a vehicle. Bathrooms cannot be open, and communal gatherings are not allowed.

Reporting violators of stay-at-home order

The Wichita mayor suggested people who report violations of the coronavirus stay-at-home order should be considered heroes, not snitches. Authorities ask people to report non-essential business operations and other non-essential activities by calling 316-660-9000 or filling out the online “Stay At Home Reporting Form” on the county’s website.

To read more on reporting non-compliance in Sedgwick County, click here.

Businesses see varying success

For some essential businesses in Wichita, sales have fluctuated up or down during the pandemic. For others, sales have stopped.

To read more about how changes in demand for goods and services during the pandemic is affecting local businesses, click here.

Economic struggles

Researchers at Wichita State University report that the local and state economies are suffering less than others in the short-term. But Wichita and Kansas will likely have a harder time rebounding from the long-term effects of the pandemic.

To read more on what economists say, click here.

Red tape blocking medical supplies

Wichita hospitals are working through layers of bureaucracy and a lack of coordination as they face shortages of supplies during the pandemic. The county is pushing for the Robert J. Dole Veteran’s Affairs hospital to hand over a stockpile of supplies.

To read more about local health care officials and their struggle with government red tape, click here.

Price gouging and toilet paper

Sedgwick County residents are concerned about toilet paper in price gouging complaints filed with local and state prosecutors. The state attorney general has received at least 157 complaints of price gouging, and the district attorney has received 11. Local officials said that toilet paper is a concern of the complainants.

To read more on price gouging investigations, click here.

The doctor leading the Kansas coronavirus response

Lee Norman is the secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. He leads the state’s response to the pandemic and regularly appears on TV and in social media videos.

To read a profile of the physician, click here.

Coronavirus compared to Pearl Harbor and 9/11

U.S. surgeon general Jerome Adams during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday” responded to a question about the severity and duration of the pandemic with a strong warning to Americans. He compared coronavirus to Pearl Harbor and 9/11.

To read more on the surgeon general’s prediction that Holy Week will be “the hardest and the saddest week of most Americans’ lives,” click here.

This story was originally published April 5, 2020 at 12:14 PM.