(RILEY COUNTY, KS – December 4, 2020) Riley County has identified 125 new positive cases and 128 additional recoveries since the last report on Wednesday, December 2.
Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan is caring for 10 positive patients at this time.
A total of 657 people were swabbed at the free testing event on December 3. Riley County Health Department staff will begin notifying patients as soon as test results come in. Free drive-up testing will be offered next Thursday, December 10 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at CiCo Park in Manhattan. Everyone is welcome and no appointment is necessary. Please enter CiCo Park from the Kimball/Candlewood entrance and drive to the 4H barns near Pottorf Hall for testing.
Testing will be offered every Thursday except Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. Future testing dates are December 10, 17, 21, 28 and Jan. 7. Additional testing dates may be added in January.
“Numbers continue to increase in Riley County and across the state,” said Local Health Officer Julie Gibbs. “You should assume you come into contact with the virus anytime you are in public and take precautions accordingly.”
Riley County Statistics for Friday, December 4, 2020:
- Total positive cases in Riley County Residents: 3,905
- Total active: 388
- Total recovered: 3,501
- Total deaths: 16
Case counts are preliminary and subject to verification.
One new outbreak has been identified at a long term care facility since Wednesday’s report and one outbreak associated with a childcare facility has expired. There are a total of 13 active outbreaks in the county.
“Several people have asked why RCHD made the choice to report outbreaks by category instead of by specific location,” said Gibbs. “We’ve found that people have become reluctant to get tested and are reluctant to cooperate with contact tracing staff, because they don’t want to ‘get in trouble’ or risk making their employer angry. We’re hoping that people will be more willing to cooperate under the category system so we can identify outbreaks and notify all close contacts. Making it easier for people to share more information directly with RCHD staff will be a greater benefit to the public.”
RCHD staff communicate extensively with outbreak locations, making sure protocols are followed for cleaning and quarantine, and that all close contacts are notified.
If you are sick or would like information about testing, please 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. If you are experiencing life-threatening symptoms, call 911.
The next written update will be published Monday, December 7. The next video update will be today, December 2 at 4:15 p.m. on the RCHD Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Rileycountyhealthdepartment/.
Find information about the Fight for the Front Line: Riley County Challenge to Slow the Spread of COVID-19 at http://rileycountyks.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1224
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.