BY JUSTIN SABATA
As reported by the Ellis County Health Department on Monday afternoon, there were 182 active cases of COVID-19 being monitored by the department. The ECHD also reported 35 new cases since Friday, September 25, though some cases could also include individuals who were no longer contagious.
Ellis County averaged 17 new cases per day in the week leading up to Monday, according to the health department’s COVID-19 Portal. There were also eight active hospilizations and one death added.
An additional death was added on Wednesday’s report. This brings the total COVID death toll in the county to five. 11 active hospitalizations were also reported on Wednesday, an increase from Monday. At the same time, 148 cases are being monitored, a decrease from Monday’s total active cases.
The new cases per-day, weekly average also decreased between the two days. Ellis County averaged 11 new cases per day in the week leading up to Wednesday. The weekly average percent-of-positives went down from 27.8% on Monday to 16.7% on Wednesday.
According to Fort Hays State University’s COVID-19 Dashboard,12 of 57 tests administered on campus by the Student Health Center returned positive from September 19 to September 25. A total of 33 students were in quarantine on-campus with five in off-campus isolation. 17 surveillance tests were also given with zero returning positive.
FHSU worked with the Clinical Reference Laboratory earlier this semester to administer entry testing to students, staff, and faculty. 137 of 1,668 tests were reported positive on the dashboard, a percentage of 8.2%.