Kansas reports 11 more COVID-19 deaths and 11 new coronavirus clusters

State public health officials reported 11 more deaths attributed to COVID-19 on Wednesday.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s coronavirus pandemic report listed 437 total deaths, which was an increase of 11 from Monday. There have been 39,937 total cases, which was an increase of 1,536.

Two more deaths were reported in the Wichita area, the Sedgwick County Health Department reported. Those deaths brought the county’s total to 50.

There were also 43 new hospitalizations statewide, putting the total at 2,226. The KDHE reported eight new hospitalizations in Sedgwick County, bringing the cumulative total to 300.

Eleven new coronavirus clusters were reported in Kansas. The outbreaks include one college or university, one private event, one religious gathering, one group home, three nursing homes, one meatpacking plant and three private businesses.

Five more deaths were attributed to clusters. All were at nursing homes.

In the Wichita area, the KDHE reported 6,992 total cases in Sedgwick County, which was an increase of 340. Reno County has 699 cases, which was an increase of 104. Butler County has 404, which was an increase of 18. Harvey County has 286, which was an increase of nine.

Cowley County has 247 cases, which was an increase of seven. Sumner County has 117 cases, which was an increase of six. Kingman County has 39 cases, which was an increase of one.

The Sedgwick County Health Department reported a total of 6,597 confirmed cases on Wednesday, up 193 from Tuesday. That is the second-largest daily increase, behind the 318 new cases reported on Aug. 14, county data shows.

The local positive test rate was 12.56% on Tuesday, which is the most recent day with data available.

The county ended a three-day downward trend in the positive test percentage, which had been listed at 11.03% for Monday. Wednesday’s update revised the number for Monday to 12.31%. The percentages are a rolling 14-day average and are revised as additional test results are reported.

Of the 193 new cases, 120 patients were close contact of another confirmed case. The other 73 cases are still under investigation for the source of exposure.

Children and teenagers in the infant to 19-year-old age group account for 21 of the new cases. A little more than half of the new cases were in the 20-39 age group, which added 98.

The 40-59 age group had 56 new cases, the 60-79 age group had 14 and the 80 and older group had three. One of the new cases had an unknown age.

Sedgwick County reported 736 more people tested, bringing the total to 74,051. The KDHE reported 6,604 more negative tests statewide, raising the total to 355,160.

This story was originally published August 26, 2020 at 12:52 PM.