Update: 28 new positive COVID-19 cases; two new outbreak locations identified in Riley County

28 new positive cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Riley County since Wednesday, most of which are people 18 to 24-years old.

Julie Gibbs, Riley County Health Department administrator, says two new outbreak locations have been identified at Rock A Belly Bar and Deli and 785 Bar.

“We have been in contact with all involved and those bars have actually closed on their own to help prevent potential spread and for thorough cleaning,” Gibbs said.

Outbreaks occur when five or more cases are linked to a single place and time.

According to Andrew Adams, Riley County emergency preparedness coordinator, these locations were identified through contact tracing.

“We saw those two places come up in particular a lot with several people, whether it’s patrons, whether it’s staff, whether it’s other people like that,” Adams said. “And so in talking with KDHE, we came to that conclusion to say ‘yes, these are two distinct pockets within the larger outbreak that’s been identified and established in Aggieville.’”

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has identified Aggieville and the K-State football team as other areas of outbreak in Riley County.

Riley County has a total of 109 active cases, 184 cumulative positive cases, 72 recoveries, three deaths, 159 pending test results and 2,367 negative test results.

Ascension Via Christi Hospital has one positive patient on a ventilator and one Person Under Investigation.

Pottawatomie County has seven new positive cases, 19 total active cases, 43 recoveries and 33 pending test results.

Kansas has 13,528 positive cases, 1,128 hospitalizations, 264 deaths and 154,321 negative test results.

A total of 167,548 people have been tested for COVID-19 in Kansas.