Coronavirus updates: Kansas has 900 confirmed cases, Sedgwick County at 134
Here are the latest updates from Tuesday on the coronavirus pandemic. For updates from Monday, click here.
New coronavirus numbers
State public health officials report 900 cases of the novel coronavirus and 27 deaths due to the pandemic.
The update comes from a Kansas Department of Health and Environment report released on Tuesday. It shows 900 people have tested positive for the virus, and 8,614 have tested negative. About three-quarters of the positive tests were performed by private laboratories and the rest were done at the state lab.
The death count is up two from Monday. Of the 55 new cases identified in the past day, 10 of the patients live in Sedgwick County.
In Sedgwick County, 134 people are confirmed to have COVID-19 — the third most of any county in the state. However, the local testing rate continues to lag behind other counties in the Wichita area, as well as the Kansas City area.
Sedgwick County has now had 1,011 tests performed, putting its testing rate at 1.96 per 1,000 people. That’s behind nearby counties Reno County (10 positive tests, 2.84 testing rate), Butler County (8, 2.18), Cowley County (1, 1.98) and Kingman County (0, 2.38), as well as Kansas City area counties Johnson County (219, 3.36), Wyandotte County (192, 5.76), Leavenworth County (43, 6.45) and Douglas County (38, 6.90).
In the Wichita area, only Harvey County (4, 1.86) and Sumner County (2, 1.66) have lower testing rates than Sedgwick County.
Statewide, at least 223 people have required hospitalization. That’s about one-third of the patients where data on hospitalization is available. The virus has infected patients from less than a year old to age 97. The average age is 54.
Coughing leads to arrests
The Newton Police Department has arrested two people after a video showed them walking around Walmart, where one person coughed and the other claimed he had coronavirus. The deputy chief said “They aren’t taking this COVID-19 pandemic seriously; they think it’s all overblown.”
To read more on the alleged crime and why police say the stunt wasn’t funny, click here.
Easter worship limited; meals to go
Gov. Laura Kelly has limited churches and funerals to a maximum of 10 people, effective on Wednesday, after coronavirus outbreak clusters have been connected to religious gatherings. To read more on the executive order, click here.
Several Wichita restaurants are offering Easter Sunday meals to go. For a list of holiday meal deals, click here.
Spirit furloughs announced
Thousands of Spirit AeroSystems employees in Wichita will be furloughed without pay for three weeks. The city’s largest employer is placing managers and hourly workers directly associated with production for Boeing will be placed on unpaid leave starting Wednesday.
To read more about coronavirus impacts at Spirit, click here.
Wichita to borrow up to $1 million
The Wichita City Council has authorized borrowing up to $1 million to fight the pandemic in anticipation of increased expenses and lower revenue. City leaders expect that most of the money will be paid back with federal aid.
To read more about city finances during the pandemic, click here.
Wind Surge payment delayed
The city of Wichita has granted the Wind Surge an extension on a $350,000 management fee until the team can start making money at Riverside Stadium. The baseball team is the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins, and the start to the season has been delayed due to coronavirus.
To read more on the economic impacts related to baseball the pandemic is having, click here.
Derby hospital seeks financial aid
A new medical facility in Derby — Rock Regional Hospital — is seeking $3 million in loan guarantees from Sedgwick County and the city of Derby to try to right itself financially amid the coronavirus pandemic. The hospital is applying for a $5 million loan.
To read more on the issue, which is scheduled to be discussed at government meetings this week, click here.
First cases at state hospital
The first patients to test positive for coronavirus at a state hospital were three of its own workers and a resident. Three staff members and a resident at Parsons State Hospital and Training Center have tested positive.
To read more about how the state-run hospital is responding to the pandemic, click here.
Athletes get creative with workouts
Athletes in Kansas who have been kept out of the gym due to coronavirus, have had to get creative with workouts. To read more, click here.
National virus outbreak news
The Associated Press has compiled a listing of national news related to the novel coronavirus. To read the AP’s listing of top pandemic stories, click here.
Other announcements
Kansas Star Casino has rescheduled the America concert to Sept. 3. It was originally scheduled for June 12, and all tickets for the original date will be honored for the new one. Guests unable to attend will be offered a refund.
The Alzheimer’s Association is offering free virtual education programs and online support groups. More information is available online at www.alz.org/cwkansas.
The Fidelity Bank Foundation has donated $15,000 to help fund personal protective equipment for Ascension Via Christi health care workers. The money will go to local production of plastic face shields. More information on how to help the Via Christi Foundation obtain locally-manufactured PPE is available online at www.viachristi.org/coviddonations or by calling 316-281-5157.
Botanica Gardens is increasing its online presence after the coronavirus forced it to close to the public. Botanica’s Facebook page is home to daily activities or craft contests, and the garden has a virtual story time as well as a gardener who makes videos of plants.
This story was originally published April 7, 2020 at 12:17 PM.