One facility in Kansas City, Kansas, has recorded 110 of the positive COVID-19 cases and 12 of the 24 deaths, according to the Unified Government Health Department. (Graphic from UG Health Department social media page)
The Unified Government Health Department on Sunday reported 110 total positive COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths coming from the Riverbend Post-Acute Rehabilitation facility near 78th and Freeman in Kansas City, Kansas.
The 110 cases include 90 residents who tested positive and 20 staff who tested positive, according to health department statistics. There were total 135 residents living at the facility, it was reported earlier.
Five of the residents are currently in the hospital, the health department reported.
“Our thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones, those who are ill, and all who are otherwise affected by this disease,” the Health Department stated in a social media post. “We continue to work with Riverbend on what they need in order to care for and protect residents and staff under these unfortunate circumstances.”
The 110 cases are about one-third of all the Wyandotte County cases, and half of the Wyandotte County deaths. The total of confirmed cases was 331 on Sunday, according to Health Department figures. There were 24 deaths as of Sunday afternoon in Wyandotte County. There were 56 persons hospitalized with COVID-19.
Wyandotte County had the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the state on Sunday.
The state of Kansas reported 1,337 COVID-19 cases statewide on Sunday morning, with 56 deaths. There were 298 persons hospitalized statewide.
There were 304 positive cases in Johnson County, 85 in Leavenworth County, and 196 in Sedgwick County, which includes the Wichita area, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment figures. Douglas County, which includes the Lawrence area, reported 39 cases, and Shawnee County, which includes the Topeka area, reported 74 cases.
More than 65 Kansas counties reported positive cases on Sunday.
The number of cases in Wyandotte County increased by 16 from Saturday to Sunday, according to the UG Health Department figures. (Graphic from UG COVID-19 webpage) The rate of COVID-19 cases in Wyandotte County on Sunday, April 12. (Graph from UG COVID-19 webpage)A map showed that more than 65 counties had positive COVID-19 cases as of Sunday. (Map from KDHE) A graph of statewide COVID-19 cases showed total cases in yellow and new cases in blue. (KDHE graph)
Four more deaths and 15 more COVID-19 cases were reported on Saturday by the Unified Government Health Department. (From UG COVID-19 website)Sixty-one counties in Kansas have reported COVID-19 cases as of Saturday. (KDHE map)A KDHE chart showed total statewide cases in yellow and new cases in blue. (KDHE chart)A graph showed the increase in COVID-19 cases in Wyandotte County. (From UG COVID-19 webpage)In Wyandotte County, the most COVID-19 cases are in Zip Code 66112, where the Riverbend post-acute rehabilitation center is located. There were 118 cases in 66112; 58 cases in 66109; 48 cases in 66104; 34 cases in 66102; 16 cases in 66106; 12 cases in 66111; 11 cases in 66101; and 9 cases in 66012. (From UG COVID-19 website)
COVID-19 cases increased statewide in Kansas on Saturday, according to information from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
The state reported 1,268 positive cases on Saturday morning, an increase of 102 cases from Friday’s 1,166 cases, according to the KDHE.
The state also reported 55 COVID-19 related deaths, an increase from the 50 deaths reported Friday.
Wyandotte County reported 315 cases, according to the KDHE, an increase of 15 cases from Friday. There were a total of 24 deaths in Wyandotte County, an increase of four deaths from Friday, according to the UG COVID-19 website.
The KDHE website on Saturday also reported that 61 counties in Kansas now have positive cases.
There were 283 cases in Johnson County, 191 cases in Sedgwick County and 76 cases in Leavenworth County on Saturday, according to the KDHE website.
Kansas received a “C-minus” for social distancing activity on the most recent Unacast social distancing rating, while Wyandotte and Johnson counties received an overall “D-plus.” (https://www.unacast.com/covid19/social-distancing-scoreboard)
According to Unacast, Wyandotte County got a “F” on reduction in average mobility, based on distance traveled of 25 to 40 percent.
The county got an “A” for greater than 70 percent reduction in nonessential visits.
And Wyandotte County got an “F” from Unacast in a less than 40 percent decrease in encounters density compared to the national baseline.
Lansing riot
On Friday, Gov. Laura Kelly during a news conference outlined steps that have been taken after a prison riot at the Lansing Correctional Facility at 3 p.m. Thursday. A number of inmates barricaded themselves in their unit, she said. At 11 p.m., KDOC special operations teams entered and cleared the unit, ending at 2 a.m., she said.
The governor reported two minor injuries to inmates, including one who had a cut and received stitches, and another who inhaled gas when SORT teams entered the facility.
A review and investigation is underway, she said. She thanked officers for putting an end to the incident swiftly and professionally. There was no loss of life. Gov. Kelly said her administration would put into place any steps that were necessary in the future.
The riot reportedly was over the inmates’ concerns about COVID-19 at LCF. They were concerned about the level of care inmates were receiving from a contractor who provides health care, Gov. Kelly said. She said the state will hold the contractor accountable and is discussing problems recently identified.
The corrections secretary, Jeff Zmuda, said at the news conference that the corrections department has put in place a number of measures to increase safety and health at the facility. Visitation was suspended in mid-March, extra cleaning was provided, and in mid-March a passive screening procedure was implemented. In late March, an active screening process was started at entrance and exit points, he said. A $2 co-pay for medical services has been removed, he said. On April 3, an intake isolation unit was begun at Larned for inmates coming from county jails; they will stay there 14 days, he said. Kansas Correctional Industries produced masks made of cloth, and distribution started Thursday, he said. While social distancing is difficult, they have taken steps to restrict movements.
Sixteen staff members have tested positive at LCF, 12 offenders have tested positive, and seven offenders were under observation, he said. The inmates are in a quarantine unit, he said.
The quarantine unit is in a newly constructed facility at Lansing, he said.
Controversy over in-person church attendance
Today, the Kansas Supreme Court is hearing a lawsuit filed by Gov. Kelly against the state’s Legislative Coordinating Council, which overturned her executive order this week that would require churches and funeral homes to fall under the limit of no more than 10 persons present at one time.
Many local churches already had switched to online services or other methods, such as internet or telephone communication, during the pandemic.
On Thursday, Gov. Kelly also issued two other executive orders, one that would extend professional and occupational licenses for the rest of the pandemic, and another that allows notaries and witnesses to do their jobs remotely.
Positive COVID-19 cases in Wyandotte County climbed to 300 around midday Friday, according to the UG COVID-19 website. The number of deaths increased by four, to a total 20. (UG COVID-19 website)
The death toll rose by three at Riverbend Post-Acute Rehabilitation facility in Kansas City, Kansas, according to figures posted at noon Friday on by the Unified Government Health Department.
There now have been a total 10 COVID-19 related deaths from the Riverbend facility, according to Health Department numbers. The figures were posted on the UG Health Department’s Facebook page.
The UG COVID-19 website recently updated its website on Friday afternoon to show 300 positive COVID-19 cases in Wyandotte County and a total of 20 deaths. That is four more deaths above Thursday’s count.
Eighty-four of the Riverbend facility’s residents have now tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Health Department post. There are now more positive COVID-19 residents than those who do not have the virus, according to the Health Department post.
Eight staff members tested positive, and four residents were in the hospital, according to the report.
There are 115 positive COVID-19 cases in the 66112 Zip Code area, which includes the Riverbend facility, according to the UG’s website.
Wyandotte County became the county with the highest number of positive COVID-19 cases on Thursday night. At 6 p.m. Thursday, April 9, Wyandotte County reported 277 positive COVID-19 cases and 16 total deaths since the pandemic started. At 8 a.m. Wednesday, April 8, Wyandotte County reported 219 cases and 12 deaths.
Nearby Johnson County, formerly at the top of the list, reported 252 cases on Thursday morning, according to Kansas Department of Health and Environment statistics. Johnson County reported 273 cases at 7 a.m. Friday morning, April 10. There are a total of 12 COVID-19 related deaths in Johnson County.
Johnson County recently began drive-through COVID-19 tests for random Johnson County residents by invitation. Wyandotte County also has offered drive-through testing for people who qualified and made appointments.
