KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas officials are monitoring nearly two dozen coronavirus outbreaks in the state, including a religious gathering in Wyandotte County that has so far resulted in 46 positive cases of the virus over nine counties.
Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Dr. Lee Norman said during a press conference on Monday that an outbreak tied to a March conference at a Kansas City, Kansas, church also has resulted in four deaths. It’s one of five outbreaks related to religious gatherings in the state, Norman said.
Speaking with Gov. Laura Kelly at her daily briefing, Norman said the state also is investigating 37 confirmed COVID-19 cases at the Lansing Correctional Facility, which includes 20 staff and 17 inmates.
A senior investigator has been assigned to investigating the state prison on a full-time basis, Norman said.
In addition to outbreaks at Lansing Correctional Facility and the religious gatherings, Kansas also is monitoring 12 outbreaks at long-term care facilities, three among private companies and two in group living facilities, Norman said.
Also Monday, the governor addressed the Kansas Supreme Court’s decision to uphold her executive order limiting religious gatherings to fewer than 10 people over the Easter weekend. Kelly said that moving forward, she wants to collaborate with “partners at every level of government,” including the Kansas Legislature and the attorney general.
“Although last week was difficult, it's also encouraging that our government worked just as it’s designed to work when put to the test,” Kelly said. “...I look forward to our ongoing partnership as we continue to navigate these uncharted waters.”
She also said that the state is continuing to work to build capacity for its decades-old unemployment application system as the state deals with an unprecedented surge in initial jobless claims.
Kelly also has lifted additional weight and permitting restrictions for motor carriers participating in COVID-19 efforts to deliver medical supplies, food shipments and other necessary items across the state.
On Monday afternoon, Kansas had 1,388 confirmed COVID-19 patients, including 62 deaths.
