(RILEY COUNTY, KS – November 9, 2020) Riley County has 126 new positive cases and 60 additional recoveries since Friday’s report. There are currently 258 active coronavirus cases in the county.
Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan is caring for six positive patients and one person under investigation (PUI) at this time. The patients have symptoms severe enough to require hospitalization and four of them (three positives and one PUI) are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
“Kansas is experiencing a large number of new cases,” said Local Health Officer Julie Gibbs. “Many of the new patients in Riley County are linked to community spread, according to information from contact tracing staff. This means patients do not know where they contracted the virus. I advise all residents to use caution and take the health guidelines seriously.”
Additional information about safety practices and health guidelines is available on the CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.
Test results have started to come in for the 525 people who participated in the free testing event last week. So far, 92 of those tested were positive. Not all results have been received and contact tracing staff will continue to call all of the people who participated.
The positive rate for the county will be calculated and published on Wednesday, to allow for test results from Friday and Saturday to be included.
RCHD will offer free testing every Thursday from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 -7:00 p.m. through the end of the year. No appointment is needed and anyone can participate. Please wear a mask and enter CiCo Park from the Kimball/Candlewood parking lot, then follow the signs to the barns near Pottorf Hall. Testing will be held each Thursday in all weather conditions, but will not be offered the weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Thursday, December 31 testing event will be held Wednesday, December 30 instead.
For more information about testing, please visit www.rileycountyks.gov/coronavirus, contact a health care provider, or call the Riley County Screening Line at 785-323-6400. The Screening Line is staffed by nurses and is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Screening Line will not be available Wednesday, November 11 because the health department is closed for Veterans' Day.
Riley County Statistics for Monday, November 9, 2020:
- Total positive cases in Riley County Residents: 2,523
- Total active: 258
- Total recovered: 2,253
- Total deaths: 12
- Total negative test results: 21,226
There are now seven active outbreaks in Riley County. The Alpha of Clovia 4H Scholarship House was recently added to the list, and no outbreaks have expired since Friday’s report.
Find a PDF of public outbreak information online at https://www.rileycountyks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19675/11-9-public-outbreak-information
Reducing severe cases of influenza will help keep hospitals and healthcare providers from being overwhelmed this year. Drive-up flu shots are available at the health department. Please make an appointment by calling 785-776-4779 ext. 7675 or schedule an appointment online at http://www.rileycountyks.gov/flu.
RCHD will send a written media update on Wednesday, November 11 but there will be no video update this week.
For more information about Riley County’s response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, visit the Riley County website at www.rileycountyks.gov/coronavirus, follow RCHD on Facebook at /Rileycountyhealthdepartment/ and Twitter @RileyCoHealth.
