Sedgwick County’s percent increase in COVID-19 cases doubles that of Kansas

As July began, Sedgwick County saw a percentage increase in COVID-19 cases that was more than double Kansas as a whole.

The county had an 8.6% increase in cases, compared with a 3.8% increase in Kansas, based on Kansas Department of Health and Environment statistics. The KDHE on Wednesday reported 108 new cases in Sedgwick County and 547 in Kansas since Monday.

That puts the state’s total at 14,990 cases of COVID-19 and the county’s at 1,368.

Statewide hospitalizations rose by 43 to 1,195 and deaths rose by two to 272.

The KDHE’s reopening metrics show spread of the disease, daily hospital admissions and daily deaths are all increasing in Kansas. The most recent trend period is June 12-26.

The Sedgwick County Health Department reported 1,278 cases on Wednesday, an increase of 70 from Tuesday. Discrepancies between state and local data can be due to delays in reporting between the two public health agencies, officials have said.

Epidemiologists are still investigating 57 of the new cases to determine their sources of exposure. Seven cases had close contact with another confirmed case, one case was travel-related and five are likely community spread.

The local health department reported 23 new recoveries and no new deaths, so the active case count rose by 47. There have now been 28 deaths and 702 recoveries. There are 548 active cases of COVID-19 in the Wichita area community.

The county also reported four new nursing home clusters.

County increase comparisons

There are now 14 counties with at least 100 cases:

• Wyandotte County has 2,394 cases, an increase of 101 cases, or about 4.4%, since Monday.
• Ford County has 2,008 cases, an increase of two, or about 0.1%.
• Johnson County has 1,870 cases, an increase of 148, or about 8.6%
• Finney County has 1,541, an increase of one, or about 0.1%.
• Sedgwick County has 1,368 cases, an increase of 108, or about 8.6%.
• Leavenworth County has 1,173 cases, an increase of 11, or about 0.9%
• Seward County has 973 cases, an increase of two, or about 0.2%.
• Shawnee County has 669 cases, an increase of 39, or about 6.2%.
• Lyon County has 492 cases, an increase of three, or about 0.6%.
• Crawford County has 263 cases, an increase of seven, or about 2.7%
• Riley County has 219 cases, an increase of 14, or about 6.8%.
• Douglas County has 188 cases, an increase of 32, or about 20.5%
• Jackson County has 112 cases, an increase of three, or about 2.7%.
• Saline County has 106 cases, an increase of 12, or about 12.8%.

In the Wichita area:

• Sedgwick County has 1,368 cases, an increase of 108, or about 8.6%.

• Reno County has 74 cases, which is no change.
• Cowley County has 71 cases, an increase of one, or about 1.4%.
  
  
• Butler County has 59 cases, an increase of one, or about 1.7%.
  
  
• Harvey County has 39 cases, which is no change.
  
  
• Sumner County has 13 cases, an increases of two, or about 18.2%.
  
  
• Kingman County has zero cases.
  
  

Kingman County to the west of Wichita is one of eight counties in Kansas without a case. There are 105 counties in the state.

Deaths and hospitalizations

There have been 272 deaths in Kansas and 28 deaths in Sedgwick County.

The youngest person to die in Kansas with COVID-19 as the cause or a significant contributor of death was 29 years old. The oldest was 99. The median age of those who died is 79.

Patients aged 85 and older account for the most deaths. The 100 deaths in that group account for about 37% of the state’s total.

The death rate per population for Black Kansans is more than triple the rate for any other race.

There have been 1,195 hospitalizations, an increase of 43 in two days.

The number of intensive care unit admissions increased by seven to 367. Mechanical ventilation has been needed for 152 patients. That number did not increase from Monday.

Hospitals have discharged 834 patients, an increase of 40. However, the KDHE says additional patients may have been discharged without it being reported to the state.

About a third of the increase in hospitalizations can be attributed to Sedgwick County.

The KDHE reported 133 total hospitalizations in Sedgwick County, an increase of 15 from Monday’s report. The ICU admissions total increased by one to 35. Eight of the patients have required mechanical ventilation. Discharges rose by 12 to 78.

One of the 15 new hospitalizations was the first local child with COVID-19 to be admitted to a hospital, the state’s data shows. The younger age groups make up a small share of total hospitalizations while nearly half of all hospitalizations in the county have been patients age 65 or older.

At least 40% of all local patients 65 or older who are diagnosed with COVID-19 have to go to the hospital. For people 85 and older, more than 65% are hospitalized.

The Sedgwick County Health Department, which reports its hospitalization data weekly, lists 136 total hospital admissions and 113 discharges as of Saturday.

The difference between hospitalizations and discharges is 23. County officials have suggested that difference is not an accurate measure of how many patients are currently hospitalized. However, county officials have also said they do not know how many patients are currently hospitalized.

Coronavirus clusters

Eleven new clusters of coronavirus cases were identified over two days, bringing the state’s total to 221. There are 108 active clusters, according to the KDHE report.

There have been 6,484 cases and 205 deaths attributed to these outbreaks, which are about 43% of all cases and about 75% of all deaths in Kansas.

Outbreaks at nursing homes and private businesses were the main contributors to the increase in clusters. There was an increase of five clusters in both categories. Sporting events and the group living category each increased by one. The general gatherings category decreased by one as a cluster was re-categorized.

Outbreaks at long-term care facilities are responsible for more than half of the people who have died from COVID-19 in the state. The 53 nursing home clusters account for 963 cases and 159 deaths.

Meatpacking plants account for about 21% of all cases in the state. The 12 outbreaks are responsible for 3,182 cases and 16 deaths.

There are more outbreaks in private businesses than any other category. The 95 clusters account for 794 cases and six deaths.

Correctional facilities account for four clusters, 1,026 cases and seven deaths. Four outbreaks at daycares or schools have had 16 cases. There have been 29 clusters at gatherings, which includes religious and other gatherings, accounting for 312 cases and 14 deaths. Group living situations account for 10 clusters with 89 cases and three deaths. Health care facilities have had 10 outbreaks with 73 cases. Four sporting event clusters have had 29 cases.

Sedgwick County health officials reported four new nursing home clusters on Wednesday. There have now been 18 total clusters in the county, six of which have ended.

There have been local outbreaks at nine nursing homes, five businesses, three religious institutions and one correctional facility. The clusters account for 25 of the county’s 28 deaths.

Testing

Of the 14 counties with at least 100 cases, Sedgwick County has the third-lowest testing rate, KDHE data shows. It has had 26,668 tests for a testing rate of 51.7 people per 1,000 population.

Ford County has the highest testing percentage at 192.6 per 1,000, which is more than three and a half times the population testing rate in Sedgwick County. The statewide testing rate is 62.75 per 1,000.

Statewide, there have been 168,183 negative tests, an increase of 5,901 from Monday.

The Sedgwick County Health Department reports 29,800 people have been tested, an increase of 605 from Tuesday. The percentage of tests that come back positive continues to rise. The latest rolling 14-day average showed 6% of tests coming back positive. That is the highest it has been since May 6.