FRIDAY UPDATE

More than half a dozen new coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Johnson County, bringing the total in the county to 23 and the total for Kansas to 43. 

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment updated the number of cases during a news conference Friday afternoon.

Health officials ask that those symptoms similar to COVID-19 not go to hospitals. People with mild symptoms should self-quarantine at home. Those with severe symptoms or who are among more vulnerable populations should call the hospital first.

Number of cases (44):

  • Butler County: 2
  • Cherokee County: 1
  • Douglas County: 1
  • Franklin County: 1
  • Jackson County: 1
  • Johnson County: 23
  • Leavenworth County: 2
  • Linn County: 1
  • Morris County: 2
  • Sedgwick County: 1
  • Wyandotte County: 9

Out-of-state cases being treated in Kansas (2):

  • Ford County: 1
  • Miami County: 1

WDAF originally cited county officials in reporting Johnson County had 24 total cases.

The Johnson County Commission on Thursday extended a prohibition on gatherings of more than 10 people to include faith-based activities, including weddings and funerals.

The Kansas Department of Health of Environment reported 34 cases in its last online update Thursday afternoon. Since then, Sedgwick, Butler and Wyandotte counties each reported one case. Those along with the increase of seven in Johnson County on Friday equal 45. 

The KDHE is updating the number of positive and negative testing results for COVID-19 at kdheks.gov/coronavirus.  

THURSDAY UPDATE

More than a dozen new coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Kansas, bringing the state's total to 36.

Two new cases were confirmed in Sedgwick and Butler counties on Thursday. It's Sedgwick County's first case and Butler's second.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment says Johnson County now has 16 confirmed cases, and Wyandotte County has nine. New cases also include Jackson, Cherokee and Linn counties with one each, and there are two cases in Morris County.

Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves said that county's patient is a 52-year-old man and is currently quarantined. Health officials are working to identify any recent contact he’s had with other people.

In Jackson County, The Northeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department said the individual is now in isolation. Officials are working to identify contacts.

The Morris County Health Department said two people tested positive for COVID-19. The department said the pair visited several locations in Council Grove while symptomatic:

  • Watts Coffee March 12th and 13th in the morning
  • Rays Apple Market March 12th mid morning
  • Life Center March 13th morning
  • Twin Lakes Liquor Store March 13th mid afternoon
  • Ad Astra Restaurant March 13th 6:30 p.m.

Anyone who visited those locations at these times are asked to call their health care provider.

Also, the Geary County Health Department banning gatherings of 10 people or more. It applies to events inside and outside, including movie theaters, auditoriums, museums, bowling alleys, fitness centers and swimming pools.

The health department also ordering the closure of dine-in areas of restaurants, bars and food pantries. Carry-out and drive-thru areas are still open.

WEDNESDAY UPDATE

Dr. Lee Norman with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment said two additional cases are out-of-state resident and do not count for Kansas' total.

At 11 cases, Johnson County has the most in the state. Dr. Norman said the county has reached level of community transmission. Five cases were acquired locally with no contact with someone who had traveled. Because of that, the KDHE is changing the protocols for testing there.

"We recommend that only Johnson County residents that are hospitalized with illnesses that could be coronavirus be tested," Norman said. "That means that Johnson County residents with mild symptoms that they would not normally seek health care for will not be tested."

Part of that change is because they no longer need to know if the virus is in the general community there. 

The state is also starting to run low on test kits. They’re down to just 500, which is barely enough to get to the weekend at the rate they’re using.

The KDHE do expects to get more test kits from the federal government by the end of the week.

TUESDAY UPDATE

Kansas is treating 18 after seven more were reported on Tuesday.

The latest cases are in Miami and Douglas counties. The county Douglas County health officials said the case involves a man in his 20s who recently traveled from Florida. 

"Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health is working to identify any close contacts of the individual, and those who were exposed will be contacted as soon as possible. We will be monitoring them for fever and respiratory symptoms," the department's website says.

Johnson and Wyandotte counties each have two new presumptive positive cases, and Ford County also reported a person from out of state tested positive. 

The KDHE said the Ford and Miami county cases are residents of others states and not included in Kansas' official number of 16. The agency said 417 people have tested negative. 

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced on Monday that gatherings of more than 50 people must be canceled or postponed for at least eight weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Kansas City went a step further, with restaurants, bars, taverns, clubs and movie theaters in the metro area closing for the next 15 days. All Johnson County schools are closed through April 5. 

The Kansas Lottery Commission announced it will close the four state-owned casinos until at least March 30. And the University of Kansas joined Kansas State and Wichita State in announcing that all their classes will move online for the rest of the semester. Kansas State is canceling spring graduations and Wichita State's graduations are postponed. Kansas has not determined plans for its graduation ceremonies.