Coronavirus updates: With 17 more deaths, Kansas passes 200 dead from COVID-19

The Eagle has compiled a list of news to know on the coronavirus pandemic for the Wichita area. For updates from Tuesday, click here.

New Kansas COVID-19 numbers

Public health officials reported 17 new deaths from COVID-19 on Wednesday, putting the state’s total at 205. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s coronavirus pandemic report also listed 9,337 cases, which is an increase of 119 since the last report, which was released Monday.

It is the smallest increase since April 26, when the KDHE still released daily reports. Since May 11, reports have only been released on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

The 543 cases reported by the KDHE in Sedgwick County is an increase of six.

There have been 75,151 negative tests statewide and about 11.1% of tests are positive.

The KDHE reports there have been 10,670 tests administered in Sedgwick County, putting the local testing rate at 20.7 per 1,000 residents. The statewide testing rate is 28.95 per 1,000 people. Sedgwick County has the lowest testing rate of the nine counties with at least 100 cases.

The other eight are Ford County with 1,628 cases, Finney County with 1,417, Wyandotte County with 1,315, Leavenworth County with 1,073, Seward County with 838, Johnson County with 788, Lyon County with 386 and Shawnee County with 272.

Cases have been identified in 88 of the state’s 105 counties. In the Wichita area, Reno County has 51 cases, Butler County has 30, Harvey County has 13, Sumner County has six, Cowley County has four and Kingman County has zero.

There have been at least 822 hospitalizations across the state, but hospitalization data is only available in about two-thirds of cases. There have been 275 patients admitted to intensive care units, and 122 patients have required mechanical ventilation. There have been 534 patients discharged from hospitals.

The number of hospitalizations was up by 22 and discharges increased by 41 in the past two days.

Patients, both hospitalized and those not hospitalized, have ranged in age from infant to 103 years old, with a median 41 and an average of 43. The youngest patient to die of COVID-19 in Kansas was 36 years old. The oldest was 99, and the median age is 79.

Racial and ethnic minorities continue to be disproportionately affected by the virus and disease. In cases where data is available, people in the black or African American, Asian and Hispanic or Latino communities are testing positive at higher rates than other races and ethnic groups.

KDHE updates cluster statistics

State public health officials have identified 14 new clusters in the past five days.

The KDHE updated its cluster information on Wednesday for the first time since Friday. There are now 113 clusters in Kansas, 67 of which are active, accounting for 4,883 cases and 138 deaths. That’s 52% of the state’s cases and 67% of its deaths.

Clusters at long-term care facilities account for the majority of the deaths. The 30 outbreaks at nursing homes have resulted in 685 cases and killed 107 people.

Meatpacking plants account for more cases than any other group of clusters. The 10 outbreaks at packing plants are responsible for 2,603 cases and nine deaths.

There are more clusters at private businesses than any other group. Private industry has 46 clusters with 367 cases and three deaths.

Three clusters at correctional facilities account for 986 patients and six deaths. Gatherings, including at religious institutions, are responsible for 13 clusters with 145 cases and 11 dead. Six clusters from group living situations have resulted in 53 cases and killed two. Five clusters at health care facilities account for 44 cases and no deaths.

New Sedgwick County coronavirus numbers

The Sedgwick County Health Department reports 564 cases, which is an increase of four from Tuesday. Discrepancies between county and state numbers can be due to confirmed cases from one health department not yet being finalized with the other, officials have said.

There was no change in the county’s death count, which held steady at 21. Another 12 local patients have recovered, bringing the total to 423 . A person is considered to have recovered from COVID-19 if symptoms have been gone for three days or if 10 days have passed since symptoms started, whichever is longer.

Butler County tracking two clusters

The Butler County Health Department reports that it is tracking two new coronavirus clusters.

Disease investigators determined six people were infected after going to a family event on Mother’s Day in El Dorado where one of the attendees had COVID-19 symptoms. Other attendees have finished their quarantine.

A second outbreak has been connected to a private business in El Dorado where three workers have tested positive. All close contacts have been identified and are in quarantine.

This story was originally published May 27, 2020 at 12:32 PM.