Kansas reports 13 new COVID-19 cases to bring total to 34

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment today released a report that there were 34 total cases of COVID-19 in Kansas as of 10 a.m. March 19.

The total did not include one more announced by Wyandotte County about 11:30 a.m. March 19.

Johnson County now is at 16 COVID-19 cases, with Wyandotte County at 9 cases. Johnson County was listed at 11 cases on the morning of March 18, and Wyandotte County was listed at 5 cases on the morning of March 18.

Other counties with COVID-19 cases include Leavenworth County, 2; Morris County, 2; Butler County, 1; Cherokee County, 1; Douglas County, 1; Franklin County, 1; Jackson County, 1; Linn County, 1.

In addition, the KDHE stated that Ford and Miami counties reported positive cases in out-of-state residents, which are not included in this total. Those cases are reported in the resident’s home state.

The state reported 22 positive cases tested by the Kansas Health and Environmental Lab, with 12 cases tested by private labs.

The 9 Wyandotte County cases include a man who died last week.

For more information, visit https://govstatus.egov.com/coronavirus.

State’s new quarantine rules do not apply to public health, pharmaceutical and food supply

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment today stated that its mandates announced on Wednesday do not apply to public health including hospitals and clinics, or to critical infrastructures such as pharmaceutical and food supply.

“Public health, including hospitals, clinics, etc., need to have the staffing resources to continue serving Kansans,” according to a statement from KDHE.

“While KDHE strongly recommends these quarantine restrictions for everyone, we do recognize that medical care needs to continue and no health care facility should ever be to a point where it would need to close due to staff being quarantined,” the KDHE stated today. “We ask facilities to ensure they have updated their Emergency Preparedness Plans and implement protocols to ensure that no employee comes to work symptomatic. Other examples of critical infrastructure include pharmaceutical and food supply, along with others defined by the Department of Homeland Security.”

The mandates are listed at https://khap2.kdhe.state.ks.us/NewsRelease/PDFs/3-18-20%20Quarantine%20mandate%20FINAL.pdf

Wyandotte County COVID-19 positive cases now at 9

This story has been updated.

Confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 are now at 9 in Wyandotte County, according to information released today by the Unified Government Health Department.

Four cases were added on Wednesday, March 18, according to the report released at 11:30 a.m. March 19.

A Wyandotte County man in his 60s had a positive test at the VA Medical Center and is isolating at home, according to a case reported on Thursday, March 19.

The four individuals whose positive tests were reported on March 18 include:

• A man in his 70s was admitted to a local hospital where the sample was collected, the report stated.

• A man and a woman in their 70s, who are spouses, are isolating at home, according to the report. Health officials are investigating whether there is a connection between this case and previous cases, the report stated.

• A man in his 60s who is isolating at home. He sought care at a Kansas City VA Outpatient Clinic where test samples were collected, according to the report.

Previous Wyandotte County residents who were confirmed positive include:

• A male under age 18 was reported positive on March 16 and is isolating at home. He attended a local private school while he had symptoms, according to the report. The school has been notified and the UG Health Department is working with them in contact investigation.

• A woman in her 50s was reported positive on March 16 and was hospitalized. She went to a local hospital initially, was released to isolate at home, then returned to the hospital with worsening symptoms. She attended two local churches while she had symptoms. The churches have been notified and the UG Health Department is working on contact investigation, according to the report.

• A woman in her 40s was reported positive on March 16 and is isolating at home. She initially went to a local hospital and was later released, according to the report.

• A man in his 70s died in a case that was reported March 12. He was a resident of Life Care Center of Kansas City who was taken to Providence Medical Center for apparent cardiac issues. He died at the hospital and was tested for COVID-19 after his death, according to the report.

The information is at https://www.wycokck.org/WycoKCK/media/Health-Department/Documents/Case-counts_March-18_1030am.pdf.

KDHE has a website for more information on COVID-19, at https://govstatus.egov.com/coronavirus.

The CDC also has a COVID-19 website at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/.

The Unified Government has a COVID-19 website at Wycokck.org/COVID-19.