Category: COVID-19

Wyandotte County reports second COVID-19 death

A second COVID-19 death has been reported in Wyandotte County, according to local health officials.

A man in his 70s died Monday, March 23, at a local hospital, according to a Unified Government Health Department spokesman.

The man originally was admitted to a local hospital on Monday, March 16, and tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, March 18, the spokesman said. He had other health issues, also. He was feeling better and was discharged on Friday, March 20, but then went to another local hospital on Sunday, and died in the late evening on Monday, March 23, the spokesman said.

“We offer our prayers and thoughts to the family and friends of the deceased. Their sadness is our sadness. Our own family and friends are precious to us, and so I call on each one of us to protect one another and stop the spread of COVID-19!” Mayor David Alvey said in a news release.

Mayor Alvey emphasized that in light of this news, it is critical that residents of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas follow all UG preventive measures and guidelines, including the stay-at-home order, that is in effect through April 23.

Dr. Allen Greiner, the chief medical officer for the Unified Government, noted that the stay at home order and social distancing recommendations are critical to “flattening the curve.”

“The curve is a way to show the number of people who have the virus at any point in time,” Dr. Greiner said. “We need to keep that number low, so we don’t overwhelm our health care system. Without efforts to intensify social distancing, like the stay at home order, COVID-19 can spread very easily – it is estimated that each COVID-19 positive patient could infect between 2.6 to 4 additional people. If we work together to slow the spread, we can protect ourselves, our families, and our Wyandotte County community,” Dr. Greiner said.

Residents who believe they may have COVID-19 should call their primary health care provider, a Health Department spokesman stated. Wyandotte County residents may also self-report symptoms online at wycokck.org/COVID-19.

Janell Friesen, public information officer for the UG Health Department, said she was very sad to hear of the death of the patient.

The stay-at-home order went into effect in Wyandotte County on Tuesday.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Wyandotte County increased to 24 by 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 24, according to Health Department information.

Six positive cases were reported in Wyandotte County on March 24, according to information from the UG Health Department. They included a male in his 50s in the hospital; a female in her 80s in the hospital; a female in her 50s in the hospital; a male in his 20s isolating at home; a man in his 40s in the hospital; and a man in his 60s in the hospital.

The positive cases also include a man in his 80s in the hospital on March 23.

Wyandotte County’s first COVID-19 related death was on March 11, a man in his 70s, according to Health Department information.

At this time, health officials are not aware of where the patient who died March 23 got the virus. Health investigators will be tracing the contacts of patients in order to track the spread of COVID-19 and stop it from spreading further, according to Friesen.

It also will help if residents self-report symptoms of COVID-19 on the UG’s website at https://alpha.wycokck.org/Coronavirus-COVID-19-Information, Friesen said.

The death is a sad reminder for residents to stay at home and slow the spread of COVID-19, she said. Residents may leave their homes to pick up essential needs such as food, medication and supplies.

The UG is relying on businesses to look at the “stay at home” order, think about the well-being of their employees and make a determination if they are truly providing basic needs for the community, she said.

Staying at home is the best way to slow down the spread of the COVID-19, if everyone does his or her part, she said.

Resources provided by the Unified Government include:

The UG’s COVID-19 response website is at www.wycokck.org/COVID-19.
The Wyandotte County Help Line is available to residents at 3-1-1 for those with questions.

COVID-19 cases in Kansas continue to grow on first ‘stay-home’ day

Wyandotte County increases to 22 cases

A map and chart from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment showed the location of COVID-19 cases and the rate of growth. (KDHE chart)

On the first “stay-home” day in Wyandotte County, the numbers of COVID-19 cases continued to grow both in Wyandotte County and in Kansas.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported 98 total positive COVID-19 cases in the state by 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 24. The total was 79 on Monday.

Five days ago, on Friday, March 20, the statewide case count was 44, according to KDHE statistics.

In Wyandotte County, the number grew to 22, according to state statistics, an increase of six cases from Monday.

Johnson County had the highest number of cases in the state, with 36 on Tuesday, as compared to 32 cases on Monday.

Sedgwick County, including Wichita, had two cases on Monday and seven cases on Tuesday.

Leavenworth County reported seven cases on Tuesday, and five cases on Monday.

Douglas County reported six cases on Tuesday, and the same number on Monday.

According to KDHE statistics, there were 57 male COVID-19 patients and 41 females.

The positive COVID-19 patients ranged in age from 7 years old to 90 years old, with a median age of 52, according to the KDHE statistics.

Doctors report more in-house testing

Testing is being done not just at the state health department.

Doctors at the University of Kansas Health System said they started testing COVID-19 cases on Sunday.

Also, private labs are now testing for COVID-19, when the test is ordered by the patient’s primary care doctor.

KDHE stated that 57 of the tests were from private labs, with 41 from the state lab. There were a total of 2,086 negative tests in Kansas, according to the KDHE. Roughly 4.4 percent of those who were tested were positive.

The more than 40 patients at KU Hospital who were possible COVID-19 patients were causing the hospital to use up supplies of personal protective equipment while they were waiting for test results, according to hospital officials on Monday.

In an effort to conserve supplies, the hospital has canceled elective surgery, with surgery ongoing for cancer patients and seriously ill patients. Some clinics have closed and they are making the transition to telemedicine. In an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19, visitors are not being allowed into KU Hospital currently, with a few exceptions. Those who need medical care have been asked to call their primary care doctor first and wait for instructions.

Doctors hope ‘stay-home’ orders flatten the curve

Doctors at the University of Kansas Health System said today they are hoping that “stay-home” orders that went into effect today in Wyandotte County and other neighboring counties will help flatten the curve. They spoke at a news teleconference.

Dr. Steven Stites, chief medical officer of the KU Health Systems, said they are seeing an increasing number of cases, not overwhelming right now, and are probably two to three weeks away from accelerating into a spike in the Kansas City area. It will take two to six weeks to see what happens to the curve, he added.

Someone who gets sick now won’t know for seven to 14 days after that if they will need critical care.

“Flattening the curve is not a short-term game,” he said. It’s a commitment. And after the curve is flattened, if people run out and party, it’s not really flattened any more, he said.

“Make sure you’re doing the right thing about cleaning surfaces, washing your hands, keeping your distance, and staying home,” Dr. Stites said. “Those are the things we know that blunt the curve.”

Good hygiene practices matter

Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control at KU Health Systems, talked about good hygiene practices, including washing hands after coming back from the grocery store or other places. It’s not a bad idea to clean off containers, he said.

There isn’t a lot of evidence right now on how long the coronavirus lives on surfaces, just a little information published in medical journals that indicates it can survive a few hours. Eventually it will break down, whether from a few hours to a few days, and doctors are recommending cleaning surfaces regularly that people may touch.

Doctors think the virus mostly spreads from close contact with humans who are coughing or sneezing close to them, and sometimes from contact with surfaces.

Dr. Hawkinson said people often touch their faces 10 to 50 times an hour, and that often could be the way the disease is communicated.

Dr. Stites said hospital bed space is not a problem now in Kansas City, but they are a problem currently in New York. Doctors are hoping the smaller population density here and the seasonal changes will make a difference here.

“You’re in the first quarter, you’ve got the opening kickoff, you’ve got one first down, there’s a lot of game left,” Dr. Stites said.

Dealing with COVID-19 anxiety

Dr. Greg Nawalanic, clinical psychologist, said it’s OK to be anxious at this time. As long as everyone is doing everything they can, it gives them some sense of control, he said. Canceling trips, staying home, and avoiding contact with face and hands are good, he said.

“The more sacrifices we can make now in the short term and flatten the curve,” he said, “the sooner we can move past this, rather than if we’re continuing to take vacations or road trips or do whatever we feel we need to do for ourselves. We need to start thinking more as a collectivist culture than as an individual, and that can be a real challenge for Americans. I know that is something we can rise to.

“Nobody’s been asked to go to war, we’re literally being asked to sit home and kind of couch surf,” he said. It’s the time to do some things at home that people always wanted to do, he added.

Dr. Hawkinson said cancer patients and others also should try to eat healthy and get exercise to boost their immune systems.

Sleep is also important, he said, and is restorative for health.

Dr. Nawalanic recommended getting outside every day, if just for a walk. Those who exercise will be a little more tired at the end of the day and more likely to get more sleep at night, he added. Those who are on their phones, on the computer and watching TV before bedtime may experience more trouble getting to sleep.

“The best advice we can give is turn off all the screens,” he said, “an hour before their bedtime.”

Instead, read a book, talk to one another or spend time with the children, making sure they’re not on their screens, he said.

“Restful sleep is one of the best tools we have to keep our immune system up,” he said.

COVID-19 cases by county on Tuesday, March 24. (KDHE chart)

To view the news conference, visit
https://www.medicalnewsnetwork.org/NewsNetwork/DocTalk/C/Tuesday%20Media%20Briefing%20on%20COVID-19%20From%20The%20University%20of%20Kansas%20Health%20System%203-24-20

The UG’s COVID-19 response website is at
https://alpha.wycokck.org/Coronavirus-COVID-19-Information.

The Kansas COVID-19 website is at
https://govstatus.egov.com/coronavirus.

COVID-19 information from the CDC is at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.

Mayor Alvey stresses seriousness of coronavirus threat

Opinion column

by Murrel Bland

Mayor David Alvey makes it very clear—the coronavirus pandemic poses a serious threat to residents of Wyandotte County. However, various public and private organizations have recognized this and are cooperating to deal with the threat.

In a teleconference convened at 2 p.m. Monday, March 23, Maureen Mahoney, the mayor’s chief of staff, briefed business leaders. They included representatives of the Kansas City, Kansas, Area Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Wyandotte Economic Development Council, the Fairfax Industrial Association and Business West.

Mahoney said as of Monday afternoon, there were 16 persons in Wyandotte County that had tested positive for coronavirus. She praised such organizations as the YMCA and area schools for offering to help to provide child care, particularly for emergency service personnel such as police and firefighters.

Mahoney said the Unified Government’s website, www.wycokck.org is a resource for businesses seeking financial assistance.

Mayor Alvey has joined with elected officials from other metropolitan counties to require a 30-day period that started at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, March 24, for residents to remain at home except for essential activities for health and safety. Residents can go to grocery stores, pharmacies, hardware stores, doctor’s offices, banks and restaurants offering carryout.

Mahoney said Alan Carr, the executive director of the Kansas City, Kansas, Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, has made a list for the bureau’s website that tells the restaurants that are open for carryout and delivery. The website is www.VisitKansasCityKS.com

Mahoney reminded people that they should continue to keep groups to 10 persons or less, practice good hygiene including washing hands and stay at least six feet away from other persons.

Mahoney said although the threat of coronavirus is very serious, the Unified Government’s order is not martial law.

Mark Dupree, the Wyandotte County district attorney, has reported that individuals, including those who are undocumented, will not be arrested or detained for seeking medical attention. He said the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency has adjusted its enforcement posture, effective March 18.

Murrel Bland is the former editor of The Wyandotte West and The Piper Press. He is executive director of Business West.