(RILEY COUNTY, KS – November 23, 2020) Riley County has 271 new positive cases and 234 additional recoveries since the last report on Friday, November 20. A total of 222 of the new positives were identified as part of the two free testing events last week, where 1,492 participants were swabbed. Riley County Health Department (RCHD) staff worked all weekend and were able to notify 1,000 people of their results on Saturday and Sunday.
Approximately 130 test results from last week’s free testing events are still pending. Riley County Health Department (RCHD) staff will continue to make calls as information is received.
Free testing will not be offered this Thursday due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Future testing dates are December 3, 10, 17, 21, 28 and Jan. 7. Additional dates may be added in January.
Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan is caring for 12 positive patients and 1 PUI patient at this time. Persons Under Investigation or PUIs are patients who have symptoms and are waiting for test results. The patients have symptoms severe enough to require hospitalization.
“A new Local Health Order will go into effect tomorrow,” said Local Health Officer Julie Gibbs. “We are seeing a lot of community spread in Riley County, and it was clear that a county-wide mask mandate was needed. All aspects of the previous order, including requirements for bars and restaurants, will remain in place.”
The full text of Local Health Order No. 19 is available at https://www.rileycountyks.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=2804
The key aspect of the new health order is that masks or face coverings must be worn in any public space in Riley County.
A “public space” means any indoor or outdoor space or area that is open to the public; this does not include private residential property or private offices or workspaces that are not open to customers or public visitors. Masks are not required in outdoor public spaces if a distance of 6 ft can be maintained.
A “mask or other face covering” means a covering of the nose and mouth that is secured to the head with ties, straps, or loops over the ears, or is simply wrapped around the lower face.
Read the complete text of Local Health Order No. 19 on the Riley County website at https://www.rileycountyks.gov/Archive.aspx?ADID=2804
If you are sick or would like information about testing, please call the Riley County Screening Line at 785-323-6400 or call your doctor. The Screening Line is staffed by nurses and will be available this week Monday-Wednesday, and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Screening Line will not be available on Thursday. If you are experiencing life-threatening symptoms, call 911.
Riley County Statistics for Monday, November 23, 2020:
- Total positive cases in Riley County Residents: 3,428
- Total active: 510
- Total recovered: 2,904
- Total deaths: 14
Case counts are preliminary and subject to verification.
There are 11 active outbreaks in Riley County. Two new outbreaks at KSTAT Urgent Care and Stonecreek Family Physicians have been identified since Friday’s report. A PDF of outbreak data is available at https://www.rileycountyks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19793/11-23-public-outbreak-information.
An outbreak is defined as five or more cases that are linked epidemiologically with respect to person, place, and time. To be declared a public outbreak, the patients must have shared close contacts and location, and test positive within 14 calendar days of each other.
Find information about the Fight for the Front Line: Riley County Two-Week Challenge to Slow the Spread of COVID-19 at https://www.rileycountyks.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentID=19768
The next video update will be Wednesday, November 25, at 4:15 p.m. on the Riley County Health Department’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Rileycountyhealthdepartment/.
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.
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.
