Coronavirus updates: Blacks in Sedgwick County have cases more than double in August

The percent of COVID-19 cases in Black Sedgwick County residents outpaced that of whites so far in August, where Black cases more than doubled while whites increased by about 53%.

Sedgwick County’s first case was reported in March.

In Black people, cases from August 1 to August 29 went from 311 to 634; whites went from 2,183 to 3,354. The Sedgwick County dashboard also has categories for other and unknown. The cases for Blacks went from 678 per 100,000 residents to 1,382; whites went from 545 to 837 per 100,000 people.

Across the state and country, COVD-19 has adversely affected Blacks more than whites. That is largely because Black people more often fall into groups that make them more vulnerable to catching the virus, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The article says people of color, more proportionally than whites, are essential workers with close contact to others, live in crowded conditions and are more likely to lack access to healthcare.

According to the CDC, Blacks account for 21.6% of COVID-19 deaths despite making up less than 13% of the population; whites make up more than 60% of the population but comprise about 51.5% of deaths and Hispanics have 20.2% of deaths which is roughly two percentage points higher than their share of the population.

On Saturday, the Sedgwick County Health Department reported 6,772 COVID-19 cases — an increase of 63 from the day before. Deaths held at 50. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reports figures on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The latest listed 41,048 cases and 443 deaths.

Barton County inmate tests positive, ‘likely there are other inmates’

The Barton County Sheriff’s Office said Saturday that it was notified an inmate, who was screened before being taken to the Kansas Department of Corrections, has tested positive for coronavirus. The inmate has been at the jail for several months and was asymptomatic when tested, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

“It is likely there are other inmates who will test positive,” the release says. “All inmates and detention staff are currently being tested by the Barton County Health Department. Isolation and quarantine measures are being instituted within the facility.”