Noon Thursday update
The amount of positive cases of COVID-19 in Riley County has grown to 20 as health officials continue to urge the public to abide by the stay-at-home order.
The latest patient is a 63-year-old man. No further details about his case have been released. Pottawatomie County and Geary County both remained at five as of noon Thursday. Five Riley County residents have since recovered.
Statewide, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment is reporting 1,106 cases in 57 counties with 42 deaths now attributed to the virus. Additional information from KDHE is below.
• There have been 263 of 847 cases that have been hospitalized.
• There have been 9,669 negative tests conducted at KDHE and private labs.
• Age range is 0 years to 99 years (median 55 years)
• There have been 262 tests at KHEL and 844 at private labs.
• 587 cases are female and 518 are male and 1 unknown.
Tune in at 5 p.m. to News Radio KMAN for the daily update with RCHD Director Julie Gibbs.
6:30 p.m. Wednesday update
Easter observers in Riley County are being encouraged to worship at home and partake in remote services this holiday weekend.
Riley County health and safety officials updated the public with the latest information on the COVID-19 pandemic in the local area and statewide via ZOOM on Facebook Live Wednesday.
Riley County currently has 19 individuals who have tested positive for the coronavirus, 19 are being monitored and communicate with the health department daily, and 15 tests are pending. Additionally, Director Julie Gibbs says five patients have recovered and 106 tests have come back negative.
“We do know that a few of our new cases do not have any travel in their history,” says Gibbs. “There is community spread, so it’s safe to say just proceed with caution.”
Pottawatomie County is reporting a total of 5 positive tests, Geary County is reporting a total of 4 positive tests.
Statewide, there are 1,046 positively tested cases between 57 counties — up by 146 cases from yesterday. Eleven more people have died from the virus, bringing the total to 38 as of 2 p.m. Wednesday, and a total of 248 patients have required hospitalization.
The median age of infected individuals in Kansas is 55, though locally in Riley County more cases are being seen in individuals aged 20 to 30.
“It’s younger because our population is younger,” says Gibbs.
Additionally, with the peak of the pandemic anticipated by the end of the month, Gibbs expects local gathering restrictions to be extended past the April 19 end date. Currently, testing restrictions remain in place due to limited test kits.
Wednesday, Kansas lawmakers on a party-line vote overturned Gov. Laura Kelly’s executive order restricting religious gatherings to 10 people over constitutional concerns. In light of that, Assistant RCPD Director Kurt Moldrup encouraged Christians observing Easter to practice at home with their families or via remote services.
“This is not a restriction to worship freely this weekend — all faiths can and should continue to worship as they see fit — this is just an encouragement to not physically gather together as a congregation in one place to exercise that freedom to worship,” says Moldrup. “We can and should use the technology that we’ve been blessed with […] to virtually gather together and worship.”
He says the purpose is to safeguard the health and safety of the whole community.
“I plead with our local pastors and church leaders to join with me and encourage your congregations to put others first this weekend and worship home for the Easter weekend.”
Kansas has 11 clusters of community coronavirus infections, 3 of which are attributed to church gatherings according to Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Lee Norman.
KMAN will air the First United Methodist Church Easter service from 11 to noon.
Moldrup also says they have had several calls for social gatherings and spring parties over the weekend, and says they will be responding to attempt to disperse large groups voluntarily and educate party-goers on the social gatherings ban without issuing fines.
“If it’s an extreme situation, we’d do it.”
Westview Community Church is collecting donations of cloth masks for those in need. Donations opened Wednesday and continue Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. as well as Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.
Distribution starts next Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11 to 3 and Saturday from 9 to noon.
Those looking to donate non-food supplies can call (785) 537-3113. Those looking to donate medical supplies such as N-95 masks (785) 587-5462.
Exhibiting symptoms of coronavirus? Call the screening line at (785) 323-6400. Other questions and answers can be directed to (785) 587-5462. More information on the county’s stay at home order can be found at RileyCountyKS.gov under the coronavirus box. More on the governor’s order can be found at KDHEKS.Gov. Advice on cleanliness during the pandemic can be found on the CDC website.
The post Update: Riley County reports 20th positive COVID-19 case as state total climbs to 1,106 appeared first on News Radio KMAN.
