Cowley County Public Health Officer Thomas Langer said in a press release Friday that some residents who tested positive for COVID-19 during the recent outbreak in the county failed to quarantine at home and went out into the community anyway.
“People who were tested due to illness symptoms failed to remain isolated and their behavior exposed numerous others to potential illness,” Langer stated. “Other people that were in fact ill with the virus ignored quarantine orders and engaged in social activities such as visiting casinos and going to garage sales and performing local shopping, again exposing others to illness.
“Other individuals that were exposed during social activities took the virus home to family members resulting in entire households becoming ill.”
Langer said that during the recent peak, the health department detected and confirmed as many as six new cases each day.
“The recent outbreak and continuing illness spread has allowed us to witness the severity of COVID-19 on individuals,” Langer said. “Some people who are infected are ill for weeks, some for only days. In some cases, symptoms are quite severe and in other cases hardly noticeable. The virus does spread easily and rapidly in some situations and in others one person becomes ill and no one else in the family does.
“The most encouraging data to come out of what has occurred is that the recovery rate in our community has been extremely good, (only one death related to the virus).
“Additionally, our ability to test for the virus is greater now than it has ever been before. Finally, our health care system in the local area is not being overwhelmed and is able to care for any individual that needs care. Hopefully we can sustain this trend.”
According to the City-Cowley County Health Departmental website, 66 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the county since the pandemic began with 21 considered currently active and 44 recovered.
Last Monday, there were 32 active cases in the county. There had been more than 40 active cases in the county.
An Ark City man who tested positive April 1 died a week later and remains the only death in the county connected to the virus.
So far, 1,456 people have been tested in the county since a national emergency proclamation was issued by the White House on March 13.
Cowley County has a population of 34,908 people as of July 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Statewide, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported Friday 13,538 positive cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed across Kansas since March, including 1,128 hospitalizations, 264 deaths and 154,321 negative tests.
Kay County, Oklahoma, has recorded 91 cases so far and remains at seven deaths.
You can be tested in Cowley County in the following locations:
City-Cowley County Health Department
320 E 9th, Suite B
Winfield, KS 67156
620-221-1430
Drive up testing occurs daily Mon – Fri between 9 AM – 11 AM at prescheduled times.
Call the office and speak with a public health nurse to schedule the test.
Cowley County Community Health Center
221 W 8th Ave
Winfield, KS 67156
620-221-3350
Open to all residents as a Federally Qualified Health Center.
Provides drive-up testing.
Call for an appointment please. Hours 9AM – 5PM
South Central Regional Medical Center
6401 Patterson Pkwy
Arkansas City, KS 67005
620-442-2500
Open 24 Hours – Emergency Room
Provides Drive up testing and will accept all insurances
Call to request the test and follow provided instructions to arrive at the drive up location near the ER.
William Newton Memorial Hospital
1300 E 5th Ave
Winfield, KS 67156
620-221-2300
Open 24 Hours – Emergency Room
Provides Drive up testing and will accept all insurances
Call to request the test and follow provided instructions to arrive at the drive up location near the ER.
