By Jason Tidd
Tribune News Service
WICHITA — The number of coronavirus cases in Kansas jumped by nearly 100 in one day as the Wichita testing rate continues to lag behind both neighboring counties and the Kansas City area.
In Monday’s update on the pandemic, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported 845 cases of COVID-19 in the state, up from 747 on Sunday. There have been 8,239 negative tests in Kansas.
Sedgwick County has now had 124 people test positive, up from 108 the day before. The county continues to have the third-most cases in the state, behind 212 in Johnson County and 186 in Wyandotte County.
Three more deaths were reported on Monday. One of the 25 people who died lived in Sedgwick County.
Nearly a third of all COVID-19 patients in Kansas have required hospitalization, but the data is incomplete. Statewide, there have been 198 hospitalizations reported in 605 cases, but hospitalization data is not available for the other 240 patients.
In the Wichita area, the state reports 10 cases in Reno County, eight in Butler County, three in Harvey County, two in Sumner County and one in Cowley County — as of Monday.
With 967 local people tested so far, Sedgwick County has had the second-most tests of any county. However, the testing rate of 1.87 per 1,000 people continues to lag behind the Kansas City area, as well as many neighboring counties.
Johnson County has a testing rate of 3.25, Wyandotte County is 5.59, Leavenworth County is 6.26 and Douglas County is 6.72. In the Wichita area, only Sumner County at 1.58 and Harvey County at 1.74 have lower testing rates than Sedgwick County.
In Kingman County, where no patients have tested positive so far, the testing rate is 2.24. Reno County’s rate is 2.71, Butler County’s is 2.06 and Cowley County’s is 1.95.
When asked why the local testing rate is relatively low and how that has affected efforts to fight the pandemic, Sedgwick County spokeswoman Kate Flavin said it “may be lower (due) to a variety of factors such as the number of symptomatic people requesting tests, limited sampling supplies and the criteria for testing through KDHE.”
She said the Sedgwick County Health Department recommends residents take the following actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19:
- Frequently wash hands with soap and water — use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
- Stay home.
- Practice social distancing — keep 6 feet of distance between you and anyone else at all times.
- Cover coughs and sneezes.
The county health department reported that patient numbers are expected to increase during the next two weeks. So far, 21 local patients have recovered from the virus and its disease.
Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple said in a Facebook Live update that “the hospital community has asked that we continue social distancing for at least the next three weeks.”
“I know it’s getting tougher,” he said. “There are people who have been doing this for about three weeks now, and it’s tougher as the weather’s getting nicer. But we are in a pretty decent spot compared to other communities because of your efforts.
“If we do this right on the front end, we can actually save lives. And remember, that’s what this is about. It’s not about just worrying if ourselves get sick and now we have to deal with that. It’s really worrying about passing this on unknowingly to someone else who might fall into that vulnerable population category.”
The mayor said he does not know of any police actions against people or businesses for violating the stay-at-home order. He said “enforcement through education” is working.
However, criminal justice officials are planning in case issues escalate and people defy the order.