Coronavirus updates: Second biggest increase in cases, deaths trend down

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Friday reported an increase of 1,032 new cases of COVID-19 in the state, bringing the total to 21,965.

That’s the second-most under the new three-days-a-week reporting system that began May 13. The most was on Monday, when 1,447 new cases were reported.

Health officials say percent of positive cases, hospitalizations and deaths are better indicators of community spread than new cases. All of those have been trending downward, according to the latest available data.

Deaths held at 299. Deaths have been trending downward between June 29 and July 12. The data lags five days behind since the most recent data is expected to be incomplete.

There have also been 60 more hospitalizations, bringing the total to 1,453. Hospital admissions between June 28 and July 12 have also been trending downward.

However, the percent of emergency room visits for COVID-19 like illness has been trending up for a month.

The percent of visits hit a 2020 low of about 0.9% in the week that ended June 13. During the latest whole week, which ended July 11, it was 1.6%.

In comparison, that same week in 2019 and 2018 both saw 0.5% of emergency room visits with COVID-19 like symptoms, which include a fever with either a cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.

Kansas has a total of 21,965 COVID-19 cases and 299 deaths. There have been 227,388 negative tests, giving a positive rate of 8.8%.

The data, dating back to June 18, shows the percent of positive cases had been increasing through July 10 before it started to decline through Friday.

Of the new cases reported Friday, Sedgwick County had 195, or about 19%.

Sedgwick County has a total of 2,790 cases. Health officials have also reported 32 deaths, with 27 coming at long-term care facilities.