Kansas COVID-19 cases jump by more than 7,000 cases

Kansas reported an increase of 7,234 COVID-19 cases from Friday to Monday, for a cumulative total of 122,741, according to statistics from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

There was an increase of 10 deaths statewide, for a cumulative total of 1,266, according to KDHE statistics.

In Wyandotte County, there were 9,505 total cumulative COVID-19 cases, an increase of 65 since Sunday, according to the Unified Government’s COVID-19 webpage. There was no change in the number of deaths.

The nine-county Greater Kansas City area had an increase of 707 cases from Sunday to Monday, for a cumulative total of 71,284, according to the Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID-19 Resource Hub.

There were an average 171 new hospitalizations from COVID-19 in the nine-county Greater Kansas City area, according to the MARC Regional Hub.

The average number of COVID-19 patients in the hospital in the nine-county area was 659, up 68 from last week, according to the MARC Regional Hub. The average daily number of COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit was 154 in the nine-county area.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the United States increased to 11,202,109 on Monday, according to Johns Hopkins University figures.

Other developments on Monday

Earlier Monday, Wyandotte County limited gatherings to 10 in the wake of a larger number of hospitalizations and cases. Also, an earlier closing time of 10 p.m. was put into place for restaurants and bars.

Similar rules were announced Monday for Jackson County, Missouri.

To see an earlier story on the new Wyandotte County restrictions, visit https://wyandotteonline.com/wyandotte-county-limits-gatherings-to-10-implements-other-restrictions/.

Also on Monday, the University of Kansas Health System reported a surge in COVID-19 patients. See story at https://wyandotteonline.com/ku-hospital-seeing-surge-in-covid-19-patients-today/.

There also was discussion of a new COVID-19 vaccine from Moderna with 94 percent effectiveness.

Counties’ case numbers

According to the KDHE’s COVID-19 summary report for Monday, counties with the most COVID-19 cumulative cases in Kansas included:
Johnson County, 21,981;
Sedgwick County (Wichita area), 21,255;
Wyandotte County, 9,964;
Shawnee County, 5,792;
Ford County, 4,225;
Douglas County, 3,712;
Reno County, 3,682;
Finney County, 3,498;
Leavenworth County, 3,208;
Butler County, 2,535;
Seward County, 2,335;
Riley County, 2,291;
Crawford County, 1,944;
Lyon County, 1,977;
Ellis County, 1,908;
Saline County, 1,697;
Harvey County, 1,373;
Barton County, 1,285;
Cowley County, 1,104.

Also on Monday, another inmate death was reported at Ellsworth Correctional Facility. The inmate died on Sunday, Nov. 15, and had tested positive for COVID-19, according to a news release from the Kansas Department of Corrections. It was the third resident death at Ellsworth, and the 10th resident death for KDOC.

The resident was moved Oct. 26 to Lansing Correctional Facility COVID-19 Management Unit after testing positive for the virus. The patient later was transported to a hospital.

The resident who died was a 68-year-old male with underlying medical concerns that contributed to his condition, according to the news release. He was serving a life sentence for first-degree murder.

Free COVID-19 testing available on Tuesday

A free COVID-19 pop-up test will continue from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17, at All Saints parish, 811 Vermont Ave., Kansas City, Kansas.

The pop-up test is through Vibrant Health and the Wyandotte County Health Equity Task Force.

The Unified Government Health Department has moved its COVID-19 testing from the 6th and Ann location to the former Kmart at 78th and State Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas. The hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Tests are free for those who live or work in Wyandotte County. The tests are now saliva COVID-19 tests.

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. Bring something that shows that you live or work in Wyandotte County, such as a utility bill.

For more information about the testing site at the former Kmart location, visit https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/10092020_newtestingsitewyco.pdf.

The new health order with a limit of 10 persons to a gathering, and a closing time of 10 p.m. for restaurants and bars, with other new restrictions, is at https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/11162020localhealthorderexecuted.pdf.

The UG COVID-19 webpage is at https://alpha.wycokck.org/Coronavirus-COVID-19-Information.

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 CDC’s COVID-19 webpage is at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.