New figures from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment showed that COVID-19 was striking a disproportionately high rate of black Kansans, at 16.4 percent.
The number of black Kansans who died from COVID-19 was 23, which was about 37 percent of the total who died, according to the report. The black population in Kansas is about 6.1 percent, according to recent U.S. Census figures.
The state of Kansas reported 1,376 positive cases and 62 total deaths on Monday, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment website.
This compared to 1,337 positive cases on Sunday morning, and 56 deaths, an increase of 39 cases and six deaths from Sunday to Monday.
Wyandotte County updated the number of cases and deaths at 1:30 p.m. Monday, with three more deaths reported than Sunday, for a total of 28. There were 336 cases in Wyandotte County, which has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in Kansas currently.
For the first time, Kansas on Monday reported the breakdown of cases according to race and ethnic origin. The number of black patients and deaths appeared to be higher than in the population.
The KDHE reported that 734 of the positive patients were white, while 226 of the positive patients were black; 8 were American Indian and Alaska native; and 9 were Asian. There was a high number not reporting race, 363 patients. There were 139 Hispanic or Latino patients.
Blacks or African-Americans make up 6.1 percent of the Kansas population, according to recent U.S. Census estimates, and they are 16.4 percent of the COVID-19 patients in Kansas, according to the state statistics.
Hispanics make up 12.1 percent of the Kansas population, according to the most recent U.S. Census estimates. Hispanics were 10.1 percent of the number of positive patients in Kansas, according to state statistics.
Deaths in Kansas included 33 white patients and 23 black patients; with 6 patients not reporting a race. There was one Hispanic death.
Blacks were 37 percent of the deaths in Kansas, compared to 6.1 percent of the population. Hispanics were 1.6 percent of the deaths in Kansas, compared to 12.1 percent of the Kansas population.
The KDHE website stated that there was a high number of persons tested without any race or ethnic original information, so that the figures should be used with caution.
Generally, COVID-19 spreads more quickly in densely populated areas, according to the experts.
The KDHE unveiled a new COVID-19 website on Monday, and also reported that Johnson County had 309 positive cases; Sedgwick County, including the Wichita area, 200 cases; Leavenworth County, 87 cases; and Shawnee County, 78 cases.
According to the KDHE, the number of positive cases statewide increased 69 cases two days ago, and by 39 cases in the past day.
Churches and Easter services
Gov. Laura Kelly was asked what would be done about churches that did not abide by the state’s executive order limiting church attendance to 10 or fewer. At least three churches in Kansas, not in Wyandotte County, were reported to have met for services on Easter.
The governor said enforcement is up to the local communities.
“I am hoping that we don’t see any other clusters as a result of what occurred over the weekend,” Gov. Kelly said. “Time will tell.”
Dr. Lee Norman, Kansas secretary of health, said he was concerned people would let up on social distancing last week, and it was encouraging that most of them took it seriously and stayed home.
He said the KDHE is tracking one religious gathering in Wyandotte County in March that has now resulted in four deaths and 46 possible cases now distributed over nine counties. He said there were five religious gatherings previously that may have resulted in clusters of cases.
In all, the state is monitoring 23 outbreaks, including 12 in long-trem care, two in group living arrangements, three in private companies, one at a correctional facility, as well as the religious gatherings, he said.
Gov. Kelly said she thought the order regarding gatherings of 10 or more, including churches, made a difference, and a vast majority of churches, temples and faith groups went online or did remote services, or drive-up services.
“I think it was the right thing to do,” she said, adding that most people followed the executive order.
Even though last week was difficult, with a challenge to the executive order and a state Supreme Court expedited hearing on it, the government is working as it was designed to do, she said. She added she needs collaboration and feedback with all partners, including the legislature and attorney general.
Motor carrier rules loosened
The governor also announced a new executive order temporarily loosening some of the regulations on motor carriers to make it easier for them to deliver necessary supplies. The order applies only to motor carriers actively participated in COVID-19 relief.
Inmates moved from Wichita to Lansing
At the Lansing Correctional Facility, there were 37 positive cases on Monday, including 20 staff members and 17 inmates, Dr. Norman said.
The KDHE has assigned a senior investigator to LCF, he said. Positive cases were being moved to a newly reconstructed building at the Lansing facility.
During the weekend, there was a positive resident, a male over age 40, reported at the Wichita work release facility, he said. There are 248 residents at the Wichita facility.
According to a news release from KDOC, 113 residents from the unit where the man tested positive were moved Sunday night to the newly reconstructed building at Lansing Correctional Facility for medical isolation and monitoring. KDOC conducted contact tracing in this case.
The governor said state inmates are being kept together in “cohorts” or groups, in a containment effort. Staffing issues have been addressed by shifting staff from one facility to another in the past. The newly remodeled facility is less staff intensive than the older facility, she said.
Additional testing underway
Additional testing is underway for COVID-19 in Wyandotte, Johnson, Leavenworth, Shawnee and Sedgwick counties, Dr. Norman said. Wyandotte and Johnson counties have drive-through testing going on by appointment for persons with symptoms.
There were 350 tests done last Friday in Johnson County, he added. There were only eight positive results from those, and those who were tested all had symptoms, he added.
“I’m hoping as we get closer to that peak, to have more of that testing,” Dr. Norman said.
The testing will help the KDHE determine how close they are to the peak of the coronavirus, and also will help determine how much longer people will have to stay home.
The lack of swabs, however, has limited the testing, according to Dr. Norman. The swabs are made of synthetic materials and are longer than those that are available in stores. They are awaiting some that have been ordered. The state also is asking dentists who may have machines to make these swabs if they can produce some for testing.
State’s unemployment website
The state’s unemployment website was down earlier today, but was back up again by the afternoon news conference, according to Gov. Kelly. Some persons have said that they could get through to sign up for unemployment benefits.
She said the website was a very old computer program that the state was in the process of modernizing when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Claims were up more than 3000 percent, she said.
She said Kansas is doing the best it can with it presently. When the website is working, it’s the best place to apply for benefits, she added. The site is www.getkansasbenefits.gov. A tech team with several persons involved was working on it this weekend, she added.
There is a telephone number for unemployment, but it is reserved for non-English speakers, military members and other special circumstances. Those who call should expect to wait a long time, and they should not hang up or they will have to go back to the end of the line and start over, she added.
To see the governor’s news conference, visit https://www.facebook.com/GovLauraKelly/.
The Kansas COVID-19 resource page is at https://govstatus.egov.com/coronavirus.
The UG’s COVID-19 webpage is at https://alpha.wycokck.org/Coronavirus-COVID-19-Information.
The CDC COVID-19 page is at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.