More testing, increases in southwestern counties push Kansas above 6,500 COVID-19 cases
Kansas health officials continue to grapple with outbreaks of COVID-19 leading to surges of cases involving locations like prisons and meatpacking plants.The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported an increase of 357 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Friday, pushing the state coronavirus total to 6,501.KDHE officials said 152 deaths have now been attributed to the coronavirus, up five from Thursday. Health officials said 608 patients have been hospitalized, which is up 21 from Thursday. There have been 41,207 negative tests conducted at KDHE and private labs, which is up 2,529 from Thursday. The positive rate is at 6.33%.State health officials warned earlier we should see higher confirmed cases of COVID-19 as more testing becomes available, some counties catch up in reporting and more cases from correctional facilities and meatpacking plants are reported.Southwest Kansas continues to see increases, largely related to a high concentration of cases at meatpacking plants in the area. After adding 94 new cases Friday, Ford County, where Dodge City is located, now has the most cases in Kansas with 1,027. Nearby Finney County, where Garden City is at, added 88 cases Friday to reach 677, and Seward County has 668 cases.As of Friday, Finney, Ford and Seward counties make up more than 36% of the state’s confirmed cases.Areas near the Kansas City metro area also continue to see additional cases reported.Wyandotte County is second in the state with 1,001 total cases after adding 50 new reports on Friday. Leavenworth County — where the Lansing State Correctional Facility is located — is now third in the state with 907 total after 20 new cases were reported Friday. Johnson County added 23 new cases to reach 583 on Friday.While the state does not track the number of people who have recovered from the virus, health officials on the county level say there have been 1,438 recoveries, including 185 in Wyandotte County and 68 in Leavenworth County.The statewide stay-at-home order in Kansas ended Sunday. Gov. Laura Kelly introduced her plan for reopening the state in phases.Beginning May 11, Wyandotte County may enter the red zone of its ReStart WYCO Road to Recovery document if the health data and metrics allow. The Johnson County Board of Commissioners decided Friday to follow Gov. Laura Kelly’s statewide recovery plan to reopen businesses, following weeks of closure aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus. However, Johnson County remains under a stay-at-home order through May 10.
TOPEKA, Kan. —
Kansas health officials continue to grapple with outbreaks of COVID-19 leading to surges of cases involving locations like prisons and meatpacking plants.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported an increase of 357 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Friday, pushing the state coronavirus total to 6,501.
- KDHE officials said 152 deaths have now been attributed to the coronavirus, up five from Thursday.
- Health officials said 608 patients have been hospitalized, which is up 21 from Thursday.
- There have been 41,207 negative tests conducted at KDHE and private labs, which is up 2,529 from Thursday.
- The positive rate is at 6.33%.
State health officials warned earlier we should see higher confirmed cases of COVID-19 as more testing becomes available, some counties catch up in reporting and more cases from correctional facilities and meatpacking plants are reported.
Southwest Kansas continues to see increases, largely related to a high concentration of cases at meatpacking plants in the area.
After adding 94 new cases Friday, Ford County, where Dodge City is located, now has the most cases in Kansas with 1,027. Nearby Finney County, where Garden City is at, added 88 cases Friday to reach 677, and Seward County has 668 cases.
As of Friday, Finney, Ford and Seward counties make up more than 36% of the state’s confirmed cases.
Areas near the Kansas City metro area also continue to see additional cases reported.
Wyandotte County is second in the state with 1,001 total cases after adding 50 new reports on Friday. Leavenworth County — where the Lansing State Correctional Facility is located — is now third in the state with 907 total after 20 new cases were reported Friday. Johnson County added 23 new cases to reach 583 on Friday.
While the state does not track the number of people who have recovered from the virus, health officials on the county level say there have been 1,438 recoveries, including 185 in Wyandotte County and 68 in Leavenworth County.
The statewide stay-at-home order in Kansas ended Sunday. Gov. Laura Kelly introduced her plan for reopening the state in phases.
Beginning May 11, Wyandotte County may enter the red zone of its ReStart WYCO Road to Recovery document if the health data and metrics allow. The Johnson County Board of Commissioners decided Friday to follow Gov. Laura Kelly’s statewide recovery plan to reopen businesses, following weeks of closure aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus. However, Johnson County remains under a stay-at-home order through May 10.
