Numbers of COVID-19 patients have increased recently at the University of Kansas Health System in Kansas City, Kansas, according to doctors.
The hospital recently had to expand from one COVID-19 unit to two units, after some months of having one unit.
On Monday, May 3, there were 38 total COVID-19 patients at KU Health System, according to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control. There were 25 active COVID-19 patients, with seven in the intensive care unit and six on ventilators, he said. There were 13 patients in recovery.
The figures are higher than a recent low of seven COVID-19 inpatients, with a steady rise over the past week, according to Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer. They are still much lower than some months ago. For example, on Dec. 30, the hospital had a total of 127 COVID-19 active patients and patients in recovery.
Dr. Hawkinson said the recent rise in cases had started before restrictions were lifted in the metropolitan area. People have not been tested as much for COVID-19 as previously, and the number of new cases reported each day is not telling the whole story, he said. Hospitalizations are what is showing the increase currently, he added. There also are more younger patients now in the hospital, according to the doctors.
While they’re not doing genomic sequencing on all the COVID-19 cases, some are being tested to determine if they are variants, he said. There are some variants, and B 1.1.7. variant, the British variant, appears to be 50 percent or more of the known variants, Dr. Hawkinson said. There also are some of the California variants showing up.
Only one of the currently hospitalized COVID-19 patients had been vaccinated, and that person had received just one of the two doses.
With the rise in the variants and in the case numbers, the doctors urged people to be very careful.
Dr. Hawkinson said the coronavirus isn’t gone just because the mask mandate went away in some places. The virus is still out there, he said.
The things that will continue to protect people are to continue to wear masks, do activities outdoors instead of indoors, distance as much as possible and get a vaccination, he said.
Dr. Stites said there have been news stories about the probable lack of ability to get to herd immunity because of the slow increase in vaccinations at this point. That just means COVID-19 will be here a long time, he said. The way to stay safe is to get vaccinated, he added.
Also at Monday’s news conference at KU Health System, the topic of happiness and how to be happier was discussed by Dr. Moira Mulhern, co-founder and chief executive officer of The Turning Point.
The organization has helped people with serious or chronic illness, and also has assistance for people suffering anxiety in the pandemic.
Dr. Mulhern discussed the resilience toolbox on the Turning Point’s website, at https://www.kansashealthsystem.com/health-resources/turning-point/programs/resilience-toolbox. The pandemic has caused extra stress to some people, according to the doctors.
According to Dr. Mulhern, everyone has a threshold of what he or she can handle before experiencing anxiety, depression and distress. Sometimes it results in self-destructive , violent or aggressive behavior. The “resilience tools” offered at the Turning Point help people deal with feelings of anxiety, depression or distress, and can lead to more happiness, according to Dr. Mulhern.
Dr. Mulhern went over a list of things people can do to be a little happier. The easiest thing to do, she said, is to name three good things that happen each day. That video is at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/132645568890897.
Free vaccinations available Tuesday
Free walk-in vaccinations will be available for everyone over age 16 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 4, at three Unified Government Health Department locations: the Kansas National Guard Armory, 100 S. 20th St., (near 18th and Ridge), Kansas City, Kansas; the former Kmart, 7836 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas; and the former Best Buy, 10500 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas.
To see more information about vaccinations, visit WycoVaccines.org or https://www.facebook.com/UGHealthDept.
UG Health Department vaccinations are now open to people from other counties and states. People may walk in for vaccinations or can schedule them.
Those who wish to schedule an appointment may use the Health Department’s self-scheduling tool at WycoVaccines.org and click on a blue button that says, “Click here to schedule an appointment online.” The page is available in Spanish by clicking at the top of the page. Walk-in appointments also are welcome.
Those who don’t have an internet connection may call 3-1-1 or 913-573-5311 for assistance in scheduling their vaccination appointment time and date.
To see more information about Health Department vaccinations and next week’s schedule, visit WycoVaccines.org.
People who live in Wyandotte County can request transportation assistance to get their COVID-19 vaccination. They can submit a request online at WycoVaccines.org or by calling 3-1-1.
Other sites available for vaccination
KU Health System offers free vaccinations seven days a week at different locations. Appointments are required. Current patients may use MyChart to make an appointment. Others may call 913-588-1227 or visit kansashealthsystem.com/vaccine to see if vaccines are available.
The University of Kansas Health System also is open to anyone. People can call to get an appointment whether they are patients or not at the health system.
There are also pharmacies giving free COVID-19 vaccinations in Wyandotte County by appointment, when available. These include Price Chopper and Hen House pharmacy at 76th and State Avenue, and 81st and State Avenue (see https://www.ballsfoodspharmacy.com/), and Medicine Shoppe pharmacy at 65th and Parallel by appointment when available (see https://www.facebook.com/The-Medicine-Shoppe-Kansas-City-281548241870522). CVS pharmacy also has announced that it will offer COVID-19 vaccines at one of its stores in Kansas City, Kansas. Registration is at CVS.com.
Other pharmacies and sites giving vaccines are listed at vaccinefinder.org.
Case numbers reported
Wyandotte County reported an increase of 47 COVID-19 cases on Monday, May 3, from Friday, April 30, for a cumulative 18,503 cases, according to the Unified Government Health Department’s COVID-19 webpage. There was a cumulative total of 290 deaths reported, no change from Friday.
The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 170,887 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Monday, an increase of 442 since Sunday. The daily average of new hospitalizations was 61. The number of cumulative deaths was 2,392.
KDHE reported 309,643 cumulative COVID-19 cases in Kansas on Monday, May 3, an increase of 513 cases since Friday, April 30. There were a total cumulative 4,985 deaths reported statewide, an increase of three.
KDHE reported that Johnson County had 58,032 cumulative cases on Monday, an increase of 144 cases since Friday. Leavenworth County had 7,200 cumulative cases, an increase of 12 cases since Friday. Sedgwick County (the Wichita area) reported 56,258 cumulative cases on Monday, an increase of 126 cases since Friday.
The Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard on Monday night reported 32,470,817 cumulative COVID-19 cases in the United States, with 577,500 total deaths reported nationwide. There were 29,367 new cases nationwide and 323 new deaths nationwide.
States with the highest number of new cases were Florida, 3,841; New York, 2,826; Pennsylvania, 2,145; Illinois, 1,861; and Minnesota, 1,711.
Countries with the highest number of new cases were India, 368,060; U.S., 29,367; Brazil, 28,935; Turkey, 25,980; and Iran, 18,698, according to the Johns Hopkins information.
Free testing available Tuesday
One of the sites for free COVID-19 testing is open beginning at 8 a.m. Tuesday, May 4, at Lowe’s at 6920 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. The tests are through WellHealth. Appointments are required. For more information, to see other testing sites and to make an appointment, visit https://www.gogettested.com/kansas.
Free COVID-19 testing will be available at UG Health Department testing sites. For information about UG Health Department COVID-19 testing sites and hours, visit https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/pages/what-to-do-if-you-think-you-have-covid-19. To see if there is any change to the schedule, visit https://www.facebook.com/UGHealthDept. Appointments are not needed.
The Health Department’s general contact page is at https://www.wycokck.org/Health/Contact.aspx. Their Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/UGHealthDept.
Testing sites are at https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/pages/what-to-do-if-you-think-you-have-covid-19. There are more test sites listed on this page.
Saliva testing is now offered at the UG Health Department. For more information, visit https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/02042021-ugphd-saliva-testing-available.pdf.
The KU doctors’ news conference is at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/132645568890897.
The University of Kansas Health System COVID-19 update page is at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/292961702392386.
A weekly vaccine report for the state of Kansas is at
https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/DocumentCenter/View/123/Vaccine-Historical-Document-22521?bidId=.
Information about the new mask ordinance passed April 29, which loosened restrictions in Wyandotte County, is online at https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/updatedwycomaskorder04302021.pdf.
The KDHE’s COVID-19 webpage is at https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/.
The KC Region COVID-19 Hub dashboard is at https://marc2.org/covidhub/.
The Wyandotte County page on the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 website is at https://bao.arcgis.com/covid-19/jhu/county/20209.html.
The Johns Hopkins Data in Motion, a presentation on critical COVID-19 data in the past 24 hours, is at https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/covid-19-daily-video.