George “Bernie” Robare, left, died of COVID-19 on May 11. He is the first prison employee in Kansas known to have died of the virus. He is pictured with his wife, Susan Robare of Bonner Springs. (Courtesy of Rachel Robare)
by Nomin Ujiyediin, Kansas News Service
George “Bernie” Robare, 61, had worked at the Lansing Correctional Facility in northeast Kansas for more than 35 years. His wife, Susan Robare, told the Kansas News Service that he woke up with a headache and a fever on April 22 and was tested for the coronavirus at the Wyandotte County Health Department.
His positive test result came back two days later, and George Robare was later admitted to Providence Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas, where he died Monday morning.
The Lansing Correctional Facility has one of the largest outbreaks of COVID-19 in Kansas, with 694 out of 1,700 inmates testing positive for the virus as of Monday. Almost 600 of those cases are asymptomatic. Three people who were incarcerated in the prison died of the virus — two over the age of 50 and one over the age of 60.
Almost 90 Lansing staff members have tested positive for the virus, and Robare, who was a corrections supervisor, is the first known death.
The Kansas Department of Corrections confirmed an employee of the Lansing prison died May 11, but did not provide the name.
“Our staff put themselves on the frontlines every day, but especially during this pandemic,” corrections secretary Jeff Zmuda said in an emailed statement. “We extend our deepest sympathy to his family and to those who worked alongside him for so many years.”
Robare’s wife said in a phone interview that he likely contracted the coronavirus at the prison.
“Once we came home, we never went anywhere,” she said.
She also said she and her husband felt the corrections department’s protections for staff were inadequate. The first cases at Lansing were in staffers, announced by the corrections department on March 31.
“They should have stepped up sooner,” Susan Robare said. “I feel that once we knew it was in the area, that things should have been handled differently.”
Their daughter, Rachel Robare, said she hoped people in the community would take the coronavirus more seriously.
“I feel like this has stolen something from me that I can’t get back, and people need to realize it’s not about you,” she said. “You have to protect the other people in this country.”
Nomin Ujiyediin reports on criminal justice and social welfare for the Kansas News Service. You can email her at nomin (at) kcur (dot) org and follow her on Twitter @NominUJ. The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy. Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished by news media at no cost with proper attribution and a link to ksnewsservice.org. See more athttps://www.kcur.org/news/2020-05-12/family-says-lansing-correctional-facility-worker-died-this-week-from-covid-19.
COVID-19 cases were up slightly on Tuesday morning in Wyandotte County; the number of deaths increased by one; the number of hospitalizations decreased by five. (From UG COVID-19 website)
As more people go out in public with the easing of some of the stay-at-home orders and as hospitalization and case numbers showed a slight decline Tuesday, doctors at the University of Kansas Health System said that people still will be susceptible to the COVID-19 virus, which is still here.
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control at the University of Kansas Health Services. said as people are out in public, some of them may or may not be doing social distancing, wearing a mask and practicing good hygiene. People are very susceptible to the virus, and plans have to be made for more infections, as restrictions are lessening, he said.
On Tuesday morning, KU Health System reported 25 inpatients with COVID-19, with 10 of those patients in the intensive care unit, Dr. Hawkinson said. It was a decrease of three from Monday. The doctors hoped to keep those levels and not see a surge with the reopening.
Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer of the University of Kansas Health System, said it still comes down to personal responsibility, and people have to stay home when sick, wear a mask when they go out, socially distance, cough into their elbows, wash hands and practice good hygiene.
Dr. Hawkinson said people should wear a mask in public, especially when not able to be 6 feet away from each other, and for more than 10 minutes’ exposure to others.
Dr. Stites said that people should not be thinking that COVID-19 happens only to other people. “Those, they and them” are used to characterize others, but people have to be careful, he said. “COVID-19 does not care about ‘those-they,’ it’s a great equalizer,” he said.
COVID-19 is here, whether people realize it or not.
“Be cautious as you go back into the world and think it’s not there,” Dr. Stites said. “It is there.”
He said people are likely to see another surge in the numbers after reopening.
Dr. Hawkinson also reported the blood drive held at KU Health System last week for the Community Blood Center resulted in 266 units donated, over the 225-unit goal. He urged people to contact the Community Blood Center at https://savealifenow.org/ and give blood.
This week, residents were able to do a few more things than previously, as Wyandotte County currently is in the “red zone,” having come out of the “stay-at-home” order on Monday. The “red zone” is similar to the “stay-at-home” order, with a few restrictions lifted. The details of the WyCo ReStart plan are at https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/pages/restartwyco.
Wyandotte County gets a D-plus for distancing
Are people here still social distancing?
One website issues grades for counties and states on social distancing. The United States is getting an “F,” and Kansas also got an “F,” while Wyandotte County got a “D-plus” this week on Unacast.
The Unacast website uses cell phone data and other data to determine grades for areas. Johnson County received an “F” from Unacast, and Leavenworth County also received an “F.”
Testing continues
Testing for COVID-19 continues today in Wyandotte County, with a pop-up test scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Roswell Church of Christ, 2900 Roswell Ave., Kansas City, Kansas.
On Wednesday, testing will take place from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the New Bethel Church and Forest Grove Baptist Church, 745 Walker Ave., Kansas City, Kansas.
Wyandotte County reported 1,083 positive COVID-19 cases at 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 12, an increase of five cases since Monday. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported Wyandotte County at 1,095 cases on Monday morning.
There was one new COVID-19 death since Monday morning in Wyandotte County, for a total of 65 deaths. Hospitalizations on Tuesday declined by five, to a total of 35, according to the Unified Government Health Department COVID-19 webpage.
The UG’s COVID-19 website identified a new outbreak site in Wyandotte County as the Legacy Warehouse, 233 S. 42nd St., Kansas City, Kansas, with five cases; the last known case was reported May 8, according to the website.
At 11 a.m. Tuesday, the Johnson County Health Department reported 607 positive cases, with 54 deaths and 162 inpatient hospitalizations, on its webpage. On Monday, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported 611 cases in Johnson County.
On Monday, Leavenworth County had 939 positive cases, according to the KDHE. Leavenworth County had two large clusters of cases, one at the Lansing Correctional Facility and one at the Grossman Residential facility. The Leavenworth County COVID-19 page stated that there were 737 LCF inmates who tested positive, and 42 Grossman Center positive cases. Positive COVID-19 inmates in other facilities in Kansas were brought to the Lansing Correctional Facility and placed in a positive COVID-19 ward there.
There were no statewide cases reports on Tuesday, as the Kansas Department of Health and Environment has shifted its epidemiologists’ time to working with local health departments, and will update cases on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays now, according to an announcement.
The ReStart WyCo plan includes a few more activities in the “red zone,” particularly the opening of offices and manufacturing. (Chart from UG Health Department)
New cases in Kansas are in blue and total cases are in yellow in this KDHE chart. (KDHE chart)A 14-day rolling average of positive cases in Wyandotte County was shown in this graph online at the Unified Government Health Department’s COVID-19 page. (UG COVID-19 Hub)
An additional $9 million in Community Development Block Grant funds will be made available in Kansas at the local level for economic development and meal programs, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said today.
The money is being allocated through the federal CARES Act, and will be for local community areas affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
“We know COVID-19 has taken a toll on businesses across the state,” Gov. Kelly said at a news conference today. “These grant funds will cover critical investments, help small businesses keep their doors open, and keep Kansans employed.”
The federal grant funds may be used for working capital such as wages, rent, utilities and inventory purchases, she said. For example, out-of-work hairstylists at closed salons can be kept on the payroll, or a small catering business may receive funds to purchase food for reopening.
To qualify, a business must have 51 percent or more of the employees who meet low to moderate income standards as determined by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Cities that apply for meal program grant must have a population that meet or exceeds 51 percent of low to moderate income guidelines. Examples of program that might qualify include food banks, Meals on Wheels programs for homebound seniors, or providing meals for schoolchildren who don’t have access to school nutrition programs.
Cities and counties may apply for up to $300,000 for economic development grants and up to $100,000 for meal programs, she said.
The program will allow decision-making to happen at the local level, she said. Applications for grants will open at 1 p.m. May 12 and will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until all funds have been disbursed, she said. More information is at kansascommerce.gov/cdbg-CV.
“The CDBG funding is just one piece of our state’s far-reaching recovery strategies,” Gov. Kelly said.
As the recovery unfolds, it’s important to remember to safe practice, she said. She thanks businesses that reopened with safe practices in place to keep customers and workers safe and healthy.
“I know it’s difficult, but we cannot let our guard down. We’re still a long way from beating COVID-19,” she said, so it’s important to continue being diligent.
Dr. Lee Norman, Kansas secretary of health, said there were 7,116 positive COVID-19 cases in Kansas today, an increase of 132 since Sunday, with 158 deaths, an increase of one since Sunday.
The state is monitoring 78 clusters, he said, including 29 in private companies with 427 cases and five deaths; 24 in long-term care facilities with 575 cases and 92 deaths; nine in church and other related gatherings with 114 cases and nine deaths; seven in meatpacking plants with 1,280 cases and two deaths; three in group living situations with 41 cases and zero deaths; three in correctional facilities, with 863 cases and three deaths; and three in health care settings, with 22 cases and no deaths.
Dr. Norman said the state will be moving some of the epidemiology staff into helping the counties more, and will be changing its data updates to three times a week instead of daily.
He encouraged people to call their health care provider to get tested if they have symptoms, as more tests are now available.
Wyandotte County reported 1,078 cases at 4:05 p.m. May 11, with 65 deaths, one more death than on Sunday, an increase of nine cases, and the same number of hospitalizations.
State case counts in other counties
On Monday, according to the KDHE, Leavenworth County reported a total of 939 confirmed and probable cases. Testing of inmates has been completed at Lansing Correctional Facility.
Johnson County reported 611 confirmed and probable cases, according to the KDHE.
Eighty-three counties reported confirmed and probable positive cases on Monday, according to KDHE, and some of them included: Ford County (Dodge City area), 1,135; Seward County (Liberal area), 693; Finney County (Garden City area), 905; Sedgwick County (Wichita area), 451; Lyon County (Emporia area), 334; and Shawnee County (Topeka area), 165.
Douglas County (Lawrence area) reported 57 cases, and Riley County (Manhattan area) reported 58 cases, according to the KDHE.
