Coronavirus updates: Kansas sees increase in cases, trends down in other categories
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Friday reported an increase of 993 COVID-19 cases and two deaths, bringing the respective totals to 18,611 and 284.
The increase in cases is the largest since the KDHE switched its reporting to Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on May 13.
Health officials say that rather than viewing just case totals, better examples of community spread are hospitalizations and deaths. Both are trending downward in Kansas, according to KDHE data.
The data shows the death trend line went from around 2.8 per day on June 22 to about 1.2 on July 5. The data lags five days behind because the more recent data “is expected to be incomplete.”
During the period from June 21 to July 5, hospitalizations went from about 15 per day to about six. Daily case rates during the same time period have also been trending downward: from about 10.7 per 100,000 people to about 8.2.
Hospitalizations since Wednesday climbed 35 to 1,304.
There have been 199,168 negative tests, leaving a positive testing rate of 8.5%.
Seven new clusters have also been discovered, bringing the total to 257. The clusters account for roughly 36% of all cases and roughly 74% of all deaths. Most of the 6,783 cluster cases have been tied to meatpacking facilities, where there have been 3,202 cases. Long-term care facilities account for the most cluster deaths at 165.
The KDHE reported Sedgwick County’s cases increased by 152, bringing the total to 2,074 — putting Sedgwick County in third for most cases, behind Wyandotte and Johnson counties.
Mobile testing available Monday in Valley Center
Mobile testing will be provided at no cost from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Monday at the Valley Center Community Center, 314 E. Clay.
The testing is only available to people with COVID-19 symptoms or that have had contact with infected people. First responders and health care workers can be tested even if they don’t have symptoms.
The test is a nose swab and results will take 5-7 days. The test only tells if the person is currently infected, not if they have previously been. An appointment is not needed.
Harvey County reports community spread of COVID-19
The Harvey County Health Department said the virus has reached community spread in the county.
“Community spread means individuals have been infected with COVID-19 in the area, including some who are not sure how or where they became infected,” according to a news release.
The county has 63 cases, with 47 coming the past three weeks. Eighteen of the cases have come from an “unknown source of exposure.”
“Community spread isn’t a reason to panic, but it does justify a sense of urgency in our communities,” Harvey County Health Department director Lynnette Redington said in a news release. “It’s an opportunity for each of us to renew our personal commitments to the precautions that worked so well early on for our county. COVID-19 is in our county, and each of us needs to respond accordingly.”
Hutchinson prison employee tests positive for COVID-19
An employee at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility has tested positive, making it the seventh Kansas Department of Corrections facility with a case.
On Friday, the KDOC said the Hutchinson employee was a man over the age of 20. Employees were required to wear masks starting on July 3 and inmates on July 6, the KDOC said in a news release.
The KDOC said it is going to quarantine the people in the housing unit where the employee worked for at least 14 days, test everyone in the housing unit, use contact tracing to determine who the employee had been in close contact with and monitor other employees and inmates for symptoms.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported Friday that five clusters have been found at correctional institutions, which have had 1,029 cases and seven deaths.
Workroom reopens after coronavirus scare
The Workroom had shut down a couple weeks ago after a possible COVID-19 case, which came back false. The business will hold its first Second Saturday Artisan Market of 2020 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at its business, 150 N. Cleveland, near First Street. The business and neighboring Birney’s will resume normal business hours Monday.
This story was originally published July 10, 2020 at 3:33 PM.