Gov. Laura Kelly announced more information about the state’s unified testing strategy at a news conference Tuesday.
She also announced that the state is joining the bipartisan Rockefeller Foundation COVID-19 Testing Solutions Group, which will provide more information and resources, including advice about best practices.
The announcements came during the same time that Gov. Kelly said Kansas has just set another record last week for the highest number of COVID-19 cases per day during a single week. There were more than 700 new cases a day last week, she said.
There also was an increase in hospitalizations and clusters in the state, she said, and there were 65 COVID-19 deaths in Kansas reported last week. On Monday, Kansas announced an additional 2,055 COVID-19 cases and eight new deaths, she said.
Gov. Kelly said although it may seem difficult, there is still time to turn the virus around. She encouraged everyone to wear masks, socially distance and avoid gatherings.
Gov. Kelly said she was on a White House task force call on Tuesday, and Kansas is in the red zone with a significant increase in the number of positive tests coming in every day for the past few weeks. No doubt the virus is still here and still virulent, she said.
“Please keep following public health safety guidelines that have been proven to stem the tide of COVID,” she said.
The new state strategy will coordinate the state, public and private testing efforts, she said. It will include routine testing in areas with high community spread, including congregate settings like nursing homes, correctional facilities and school.
Last week, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment posted requests for proposals for communities interested in receiving a portion of funding, she said. There was $53 million earmarked by the SPARK task force, and communities can begin submitting proposals for review, she said.
Wyandotte County reported an additional 15 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the cumulative total to 7,525, according to the Unified Government COVID-19 website. There were an additional four deaths, for a cumulative total of 142.
The University of Kansas Health System saw an increase in the patients at the hospital on Tuesday morning, with 30 acute COVID-19 inpatients, an increase from Monday’s 24, according to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control. There were seven patients in the intensive care unit, down from 11 on Monday, and six patients on ventilators, a decrease from eight on Monday. There were another 28 COVID-19 patients who were not in the acute infection phase but were still in the hospital. HaysMed in Hays, Kansas, reported 18 inpatients on Tuesday, an increase of one from Monday.
During their news conference, the doctors said there is a trend around the Kansas City area of more COVID-19 hospitalizations.
Two local nurses survive COVID-19
During the Tuesday news conference at KU Health System, two cases of local nurses who survived COVID-19 were discussed.
A 58-year-old nurse spent 64 days in the hospital, including 45 days on the ventilator, while a 21-year-old nurse had a milder case.
The 58-year-old nurse is now recovering at home and trying to rebuild her strength. Over her long illness, she had no memory of the time she was on the ventilator. She advised people to wear a mask, to think of others and be vigilant.
The 21-year-old nurse said she is always wearing her mask at work, but she let down her guard when she went to watch the Chiefs game on television on Sept. 10 with friends. She had to spend time isolating at home while she had the virus. Her symptoms included shortness of breath, being very tired and having a fever. She also lost her sense of taste and smell, although the sense of taste is now back. She advised that it’s much easier than people think to get the disease.
Free testing continues
Free tests are available from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, at Faith Deliverance Family Worship Center, 3043 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas.
The tests are available through the Wyandotte County Health Equity Task Force and Vibrant Health.
Free tests also continue from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday at the UG Health Department, 619 Ann Ave., Kansas City, Kansas.
The tests now are open to asymptomatic people as well as those who have symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19. Check with the UG Health Department’s Facebook page to see if there have been any changes in the schedule because of the weather or for other reasons.
Next week, the Health Department testing location is changing to the former Kmart parking lot at 78th and State.
More information about testing is at https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/pages/what-to-do-if-you-think-you-have-covid-19.
To view the governor’s news conference, visit https://www.facebook.com/GovLauraKelly/videos/2772924946299136
The KU doctors’ news conference is at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/345856516473014
The KDHE’s COVID-19 webpage is at https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/.
The UG COVID-19 webpage is at https://alpha.wycokck.org/Coronavirus-COVID-19-Information.
The Unified Government COVID-19 hub outbreak map at https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/.
To see an NEA list of schools that have had COVID-19 cases, visit https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=aa3f2ede7cb2415db943fdaf45866d2f.
The KC Region COVID-19 Hub dashboard is at https://marc2.org/covidhub/.
The CDC’s COVID-19 webpage is at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.