(RILEY COUNTY, KS – April 17, 2020) Riley County has one new positive case today, for a total of 27. The patient is a 45 year-old male who is currently recovering in isolation at home. This patient can be directly linked to a previous positive Riley County patient. The Riley County Health Department (RCHD) has been in daily contact to monitor his condition since first learning of the possible exposure. He has remained in quarantine at his home since he was first notified.
A total of 12 Riley County residents have recovered from the virus, meaning they are allowed to discontinue isolation. To be considered a recovered case, at least three days have passed since the patient last had fever and at least seven days have passed since their symptoms first appeared.
Positive cases in Kansas reached 1,705 today with 375 hospitalizations and 84 deaths. That total represents an increase of 137 cases in Kansas since yesterday. This is the largest single-day increase the state has seen since the outbreak began.
"We are grateful that Riley County positive numbers remain relatively low,” said Local Health Officer Julie Gibbs. “If we continue stay vigilant and follow guidelines, we will continue to slow the spread.”
People should continue to seek medical care for COVID-19 and any other health issues. The medical community is working hard and taking all necessary precautions to prevent the spread of the disease to patients and staff. Medical facilities such as the emergency room, urgent care clinics, and doctor’s offices are still open and operational. Any medical treatment or procedure needed to protect a person’s health will still take place. Some elective procedures, which will not cause harm if delayed, have been rescheduled for another time.
911 operators and services will remain available for anyone who has an emergency.
“Maintaining the health and safety of the community continues to be our top priority,” said Gibbs. “Anyone in need of medical care, for any reason, should not hesitate to get help. The medical community is still available to care for patients, just as it always has been.”
If you have symptoms of coronavirus, such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath, please call the Riley County Health Department’s Screening Hotline at 785-323-6400 to talk with a medical professional. The hotline is staffed every day from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Riley County Statistics for Friday, April 17, 2020:
- Total positive cases in Riley County Residents: 27
- *Total Recovered: 12
- Total Hospitalized: 0
- Pending test results: 22
- Negative test results: 178
*Note: Following CDC guidelines, patients are to remain in isolation through the duration of illness and are considered to be recovered after the following criteria have been met: At least three days (72 hours) since resolution of fever, without the use of fever-reducing medications and Improvement of respiratory symptoms AND At least seven days have passed since symptoms first appeared https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/disposition-in-home-patients.html
For more information about Riley County’s response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) threat, visit the Riley County website at https://www.rileycountyks.gov/covid19, follow RCHD on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Rileycountyhealthdepartment/ and Twitter @RileyCoHealth.
