Sedgwick County hits 500 COVID deaths as active coronavirus clusters increase in Kansas

The number of active coronavirus clusters in Kansas has increased for the first time since Thanksgiving, while Sedgwick County has reached 500 deaths from COVID-19.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Wednesday reported 346 active outbreaks of COVID-19 across the state, which was up five from a week ago. The count of active clusters had previously decreased every week since the week of Thanksgiving, when a record-high of 517 active clusters were reported.

The KDHE recorded 41 new clusters in the past week, including 17 at long-term care facilities. There were 107 deaths from new and existing clusters, with 101 of those at nursing homes.

Coronavirus outbreaks at long-term care facilities account for 1,509 deaths, or about 42% of all COVID-19 deaths in Kansas.

There state has had 263,412 total cases with 3,575 deaths, 7,930 hospitalizations and 2,141 intensive care unit admissions, according to the KDHE. Sedgwick County has had 47,532 total cases with 500 deaths, 1,064 hospitalizations and 295 ICU admissions

Between Monday and Wednesday, the KDHE recorded 3,590 new cases, 50 new deaths, 123 new hospitalizations and 43 new ICU admissions statewide. In Sedgwick County, there were 529 new cases, four new deaths, 21 new hospitalizations and 11 new ICU admissions.

Sedgwick County currently has 1,072 active cases connected to nursing home clusters, according to the county health department. School outbreaks have 265 active cases, while business clusters have 233 active cases.

In the past week, the local health department has administered 1,339 first doses and 31 second doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

This story was originally published January 20, 2021 at 1:09 PM.