Coronavirus updates: Wichita schools see eight more cases, most at elementary schools
Wichita public schools reported eight more positive COVID-19 cases among employees this week.
The weekly report, released on Fridays, list tests from Sept. 11-18 and shows five positive tests at elementary schools and one each at a middle school, a high school and a non-attendance center. The report does not identify where cases occurred.
There is no data showing how many students have tested positive.
Additionally, 69 more employees are in quarantine for a total of 198.
Most of the new quarantines happened at elementary schools, which saw 41 more. The quarantines include “close contact with (a) confirmed case, experiencing symptoms, or travel,” the report says.
Wichita schools reported one case last week, which included testing during the first few days of school, and four cases the week prior. There were also cases reported at six schools back in mid-August.
Sedgwick County reports triple-digit increase
The Sedgwick County Health Department reported 103 new cases Saturday and 1,099 more tests, bringing the totals to 7,972 and 95,602 or a 8.33% positive rate overall.
Sedgwick County’s percent of positive cases is under 5% for the first time since June 24, according to the 14-day rolling average. Thursday, the latest day available, it was at 4.92%.
That rate has been mostly dropping in Sedgwick County since Aug. 21, when it was more than 12%.
Clusters at long-term care facilities increased by two to 26, and by three at correctional facilities, an increase of one.
Long-term care facilities account for at least 37 of the county’s 81 deaths. There have been 474 cases at the facilities, including 303 recoveries.
Correctional clusters have been identified at the Sedgwick County Jail and the Wichita Work Release Facility. A Sedgwick County spokesperson said the third cluster is at another work release facility. Those facilities have had 968 cases with 268 considered recovered — there were less than 80 recoveries reported on Friday.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reports figures on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The latest figures showed 52,285 cases and 596 deaths.
Based on 2010 census figures, Sedgwick County has roughly 13.63% of the state’s population. Sedgwick County accounts for roughly 15.24% of cases and about 13.59% of deaths.