The Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Public Utilities is asking area businesses that are preparing to reopen to flush water lines.
According to a BPU news release, there are some precautions businesses should take to retain water quality.
Wyandotte County is under a stay-at-home order through May 10, then it could go into the “red zone,” where some offices and manufacturing plants are looking at reopening, although they still are encouraged to work from home. The county health officer will determine if the county can move forward into the “red zone” on May 11.
The BPU stated that buildings that have been closed for more than a week should have service lines and internal plumbing completely flushed before people return, especially if the building had no or low occupancy.
According to the BPU, when the water isn’t being used regularly, the quality could change if the water remains stagnant after an extended period. Flushing hot and cold water lines helps decrease the risk of bacterial growth and replaces the water in the pipes with fresh, clean water.
The BPU recommended flushing water through the fixtures to “turn over” the unused water and flow fresh water from the water main through the building’s plumbing.
The BPU outlined steps:
Before reopening, run every tap, cold water first, then hot.
Flush every toilet.
Maintain any other appliance or system with a water connection, such as fire sprinklers, refrigerator filters, drinking fountains, coffee makers or ice machines. After flushing, if the building has an ice machine, it should be emptied of remaining ice and any ice made within 24 hours.
The steps to flush building plumbing lines will vary based on the plumbing configuration, property size and number of faucets, according to BPU. The American Water Works Association offered guidance for flushing protocols to safely return to service at https://www.awwa.org/Resources-Tools/Resource-Topics/Coronavirus#lt-10681543-shutoffs-and-return-to-service-guidance.
If water lines can’t be flushed, remember to post warnings near all drinking water sources advising people not to drink the water, the BPU news release stated. Business owners and operators are encouraged to review the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance for additional information to ensure the safety of water systems after a prolonged shutdown.
The BPU is constantly monitoring the water quality at the water treatment plant as well as testing regularly throughout the service area, according to a spokesman. This testing is done to ensure the water quality meets state and federal guidelines.
The BPU recommends flushing a building’s plumbing to ensure staff, employees and customers are receiving fresh water straight from the water main and avoid using stale water that has been sitting unused for extended periods of time, the spokesman stated. Persons who have refreshed the water in their building and still have concerns about water quality, may call BPU at 913-573-9622 with any questions.
The Unified Government Health Department has reported several COVID-19 outbreaks in Wyandotte County.
Long term care facilities
There are currently three confirmed outbreaks of COVID-19 at long-term care facilities in Wyandotte County, according to the Unified Government Public Health Department (UGPHD).
A spokesman stated the Health Department is in regular communication with each of these facilities. UGPHD staff is providing testing, PPE (personal protective equipment), and guidance on infection control steps, according to a spokesman.
All of the facilities are implementing measures to better understand the spread of the virus in their facilities and how to more effectively protect staff and residents, such as testing residents and staff and following public health guidance on quarantine and isolation, according to a spokesman.
Life Care Center of Kansas City
After seeing several positive cases, Life Care Center tested all residents and staff as a precaution, a UG Health Department spokesman stated. Testing supplies were provided by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).
Test results came in over the weekend, bringing the total number of positive cases to 37 (30 residents and seven employees). In addition, four residents at this facility have passed away due to COVID-19.
Delaware Highlands Assisted Living
Delaware Highlands has now tested all residents and staff at their facility twice, with the most recent round of testing occurring last week. No additional positives were found during the most recent round of testing, according to the spokesman.
The total number of positives remains at 18 (16 residents and two employees). There have been no COVID-19-related deaths linked to this outbreak.
Riverbend Post-Acute Rehabilitation
Riverbend remains the largest outbreak in Wyandotte County, with the number of positive cases at 132 (105 residents and 27 employees), according to the spokesman.
There have been 36 deaths among residents, and three residents are currently hospitalized.
In response to outbreaks at long-term care facilities and the increased risk for COVID-19 in these settings, a Long-Term Care Facility Advisory Group has been formed, the Health Department stated.
The advisory group is chaired by Dr. Jessica Kalender-Rich, a board-certified geriatric medicine specialist and head of geriatric nedicine for the University of Kansas Health System. Members include physicians, government officials, experienced providers from long-term care nursing facilities, and emergency management professionals.
The advisory group has already produced a detailed guidance document that can be used by facilities hoping to reduce the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care facilities.
Additionally, Dr. Jessica Kalender-Rich, UGPHD Chief Medical Officer Dr. Allen Greiner, and UGPHD Deputy Medical Officer Dr. Erin Corriveau have reached out to every long-term care and assisted living facility in Wyandotte County to talk to their leadership and provide support and guidance, the spokesman stated.
Other outbreaks
There has been a large increase in the number of positive cases in Wyandotte County, in part due to testing residents linked to outbreaks, according to the spokesman.
A prime example is an outbreak linked to Triumph Foods, located in St. Joseph, Missouri, which employs people from throughout the metro area.
Over the weekend, 78 Wyandotte County residents who work at Triumph Foods were confirmed positive for COVID-19, according to the spokesman. Though the outbreak is located in Missouri, the positive cases are “counted” in the county in which people reside.
The UGPHD also continues to investigate several other outbreaks at businesses and organizations within Wyandotte County, the spokesman stated. Outbreaks of five or more cases are now shown on the new COVID-19 hub.
Outbreak data on COVID-19 hub
The latest numbers and additional information on outbreaks in Wyandotte County on the Unified Government’s new COVID hub. The hub includes an interactive map of outbreak locations, as well as additional information on the public health response to outbreaks.
To view the new data hub, visit wycokck.org/COVID-19 and click on the “COVID hub” tab. For general COVID-19 information and questions, dial 3-1-1.
Wyandotte County reported 16 more cases and four more deaths on Tuesday. (From UG COVID-19 website)Kansas reported 5,458 cases on Tuesday in 82 counties. (KDHE map)New cases were in blue and total cases in yellow in this chart from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. (KDHE chart)
Kansas reported an increase of 213 COVID-19 cases today, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
In all, the state had 5,458 total cases, according to KDHE.
Wyandotte County reported four more deaths, for a total of 64, and 16 new cases, for a total of 893, at 1:40 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Unified Government Health Department webpage. Hospitalizations went from 34 on Monday to 40 on Tuesday.
There was an increase of 12 recoveries in Wyandotte County on Tuesday, from 168 to 180.
The UG COVID-19 website hub reported that there were four more deaths from the Riverbend Post-Acute Rehabilitation facility in Kansas City, Kansas, bringing the total to 36.
Riverbend has a total of 132 positive cases, including 105 residents and 27 employees, according to the UG Health Department. Three residents are currently hospitalized.
The University of Kansas Health System reported a slight decrease in Tuesday’s numbers of COVID-19 patients who are hospitalized from 31 on Monday to 30 on Tuesday. There were 14 patients in the intensive care unit, a decrease of one from Monday.
Wyandotte County testing delayed by rain
Testing at the Unified Government Health Department parking lot at 6th and Ann was postponed on Monday because of rain and thunderstorms, according to a Health Department social media post.
Wyandotte, Johnson and Jackson counties are under stay-at-home orders during Mother’s Day weekend, May 9-10, and individuals are supposed to stay in their household groups, according to the Wyandotte County reopening plan.
Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer at KU Health System, said in discussing whether families should get together for Mother’s Day, May 10, if they are not already living in the same household, they should consider who is now in their circle. If people have been regularly visiting with or meeting with their moms throughout this time, it would probably be OK to go to visit them on Mother’s Day, while if they have not seen them for a few months, it could introduce COVID-19 into their family.
The doctors also discussed other topics, such as going swimming. According to the stay-at-home rules in Wyandotte County, groups from different households are not supposed to meet together.
When discussing whether it was safe to swim in a swimming pool, Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control at KU Health System, said he didn’t fear a droplet of the coronavirus getting into the swimming pool, with chemicals and chlorine in it, and causing an infection.
He said the danger from swimming pools, restaurants and bars is that people may congregate around that area, too close together. While adults generally can maintain a distance of six to eight feet, some children may find it harder.
In the next phase, the “red zone” possibly beginning May 11, the Wyandotte County reopening plan stated that residents should not congregate with others who are not members of their immediate household, and exercise had to be distanced with 10 or fewer persons.
“Just because we’re opening society up, does not make it safe to be in big groups,” Dr. Stites said.
The doctors said as society reopens, it will still be important to practice good hygiene, wash hands, stay six feet away from others, cough into your sleeve, don’t touch your face, don’t go out when you’re sick, and clean off frequently touched surfaces.
Third state inmate death reported
The third COVID-19 related death was reported Monday, May 4, of a resident of the Lansing Correctional Facility.
According to a news release from the Kansas Department of Corrections, the resident who died was a male over 50 who tested positive for the virus on May 1. He was transferred to Providence Medical Center on May 1.
KDOC lists the official cause of death for all COVID-19 deaths as natural causes.
The individual was serving an 85-month sentence for charges including aggravated indecent liberties with a child, lewd fondling or touching; child less than 14. He had been imprisoned with the Kansas Department of Corrections since July 2018. For the privacy of his family and due to confidentiality laws, the KDOC will not release his name nor his underlying medical conditions, the news release stated. His family has been notified.
State case counts in other counties
On Tuesday, according to the KDHE, Leavenworth County reported a total of 602 cases, an increase of 73 cases from Monday. Johnson County reported 513 total cases, an increase of nine cases from Monday, according to the KDHE.
Eighty-two counties reported positive cases on Tuesday, according to KDHE, and some of them included: Ford County (Dodge City area), 869; Seward County (Liberal area), 606; Finney County (Garden City area), 518; Sedgwick County (Wichita area), 411; Lyon County (Emporia area), 265; and Shawnee County (Topeka area), 133.
Douglas County (Lawrence area) reported 51 cases, and Riley County (Manhattan area) reported 55 cases, according to the KDHE.
