Another COVID-related death has been added to Cowley County’s total.
Cowley County Public Health Officer Thomas Langer reported the new death in the City-Cowley County Health Department’s update on the pandemic this week.
Since March 2020, 118 residents in the county have died due to the virus.
“Cowley County, along with all counties in Kansas, remains identified as an area where infection is considered widespread,” Langer stated.
Langer also reported cases within school districts remain a concern.
“Over the past 14 days a noticeable increase in new cases has occurred centered in families with school-aged children,” he said. “The Health Department has noted that 43% of new cases found in September are in school-aged children (5 -18 y/o). By comparison during September of 2020 that same group comprised less than 5% of all COVID-19 cases.”
Ark City started the year with a mask recommendation for all staff and students, but the school board changed protocol to a mask requirement on Aug. 30 and extended the mandate on Sept. 17.
Winfield’s school board approved a mask mandate to begin the year, but reversed protocol to a recommendation on Aug. 17.
“Please remember to not send a sick child to school for any reason,” Langer said. “If a family member becomes ill with COVID-19 every family member MUST quarantine if they are not vaccinated or have natural immunity from a previously documented case of COVID-19. The ill person(s) MUST isolate for a minimum of 10 (ten) days.”
Langer
Langer also commented on testing and vaccination efforts for Walnut Valley Festival goers and staff for a three-week period leading up to and during the festival itself.
“The response to offering the services was very good,” he stated. “Several campers and festival goers requested to be tested upon arrival and prior to leaving to return to their homes. All of the visitors that the Health Department provided service to tested negative for COVID-19 even though some complained of allergy like symptoms while in town (which a large number of local residents can relate to).
“The distribution of masks and hand sanitizer was exceptionally welcomed by festival attendees and visitors. (During the entire event we only had 1 (one) festival goer test positive, a local elementary school student who had been sent home from school and who’s parent was camping and wanted to have tested).”
Daily active cases in the county continue to average approximately 100, according to the health department, and new cases continue to overwhelmingly be among the unvaccinated.
Since March 31, 2021, Cowley County has added 1,137 new cases with 1,038 new cases being people who are non-vaccinated — or 91 percent.
June saw just 28 total new cases of the virus, but an uptick began in July with 153 new cases that month alone and 488 new cases in August.
As of Monday, there have been 375 new cases in September alone in the county, according to the county health department.
According to Wednesday’s report from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Cowley County has totaled 5,095 COVID cases since the pandemic began — and increase of 49 cases since Monday’s report.
