TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has issued an order directing Kansas residents to wear masks in public places and their workplaces.

“The last few months have presented many new challenges for Kansans, and all of us want to return to our normal lives and routines,” Governor Kelly said in a media release. “Unfortunately, we have seen a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths across our state and our country. We must act.”

Viruses don’t stop at county lines. This order doesn’t change where you can go or what you can do. But wearing a mask is a simple and effective way to keep Kansans healthy and keep Kansas open for business.”

Under the order, Kansans are required to wear masks when inside any public space – including their workplace – or in situations where social distancing of 6 feet cannot be maintained. Guidance regarding specific places or situations in which masks are required is outlined within the order.

Kansans under five years of age, those with medical conditions, and others specifically outlined in the order are exempt from these requirements.

To view EO #20-52,&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgovernor.kansas.gov%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F07%2F20200702093130003.pdf&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cd0393e73597e4261404a08d81e973ed2%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637292982220415218&amp;sdata=Og56J0QqjqBR87kmMyAv7zXzf%2BIeTqzEtHvyNmlb9pY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">click here.</a>

The order Thursday is likely to provoke a backlash from the Republican-controlled Legislature even though enforcement is expected to be lax. Kelly issued the order after the state saw a surge in reported coronavirus cases following her decision to lift statewide restrictions on businesses and public gatherings May 26. She left the rules to the state’s 105 counties after weeks of complaints from Republican lawmakers that she was moving too slowly to reopen the economy. The new mask requirement will take effect Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593465508296.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly removed her face mask Monday just before beginning a news conference." />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly removed her face mask Monday just before beginning a news conference.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has issued an order directing Kansas residents to wear masks in public places and their workplaces.“The last few months have presented many new challenges for Kansans, and all of us want to return to our normal lives and routines,” Governor Kelly said in a media release. “Unfortunately, we have seen a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths across our state and our country. We must act.”Viruses don’t stop at county lines. This order doesn’t change where you can go or what you can do. But wearing a mask is a simple and effective way to keep Kansans healthy and keep Kansas open for business.”Under the order, Kansans are required to wear masks when inside any public space – including their workplace – or in situations where social distancing of 6 feet cannot be maintained. Guidance regarding specific places or situations in which masks are required is outlined within the order.Kansans under five years of age, those with medical conditions, and others specifically outlined in the order are exempt from these requirements.To view EO #20-52,&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgovernor.kansas.gov%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F07%2F20200702093130003.pdf&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cd0393e73597e4261404a08d81e973ed2%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637292982220415218&amp;sdata=Og56J0QqjqBR87kmMyAv7zXzf%2BIeTqzEtHvyNmlb9pY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">click here.</a>The order Thursday is likely to provoke a backlash from the Republican-controlled Legislature even though enforcement is expected to be lax. Kelly issued the order after the state saw a surge in reported coronavirus cases following her decision to lift statewide restrictions on businesses and public gatherings May 26. She left the rules to the state’s 105 counties after weeks of complaints from Republican lawmakers that she was moving too slowly to reopen the economy. The new mask requirement will take effect Friday.

Governor signs order requiring masks be worn in public, at work

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ top public health official predicted Wednesday that the state will face steeper increases in coronavirus cases and suggested that it blew its chance for a summer respite from the pandemic by reopening its economy too quickly.

Dr. Lee Norman, the top administrator at the state Department of Health and Environment, blamed a recent surge in new confirmed cases on gatherings over the long Memorial Day weekend and the May 26 lifting of statewide restrictions on businesses and gatherings. He said Kansas remains struck in its first wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We’d have to have some calm before the next wave, and we’re not there or anywhere close to it,” Norman said after a Statehouse news conference during which he described Kansas as being “in the middle of a bad convergence.”

Norman’s comments came a day before Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who appointed him, was to issue&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/7457a306628413b9f3d6409a32e73283">an executive order requiring people to wear masks</a>&nbsp;in public. The order&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2ed56b6d64038adee0dc17465073232b">could be toothless</a>&nbsp;in much of the state because a law enacted last month allows counties to opt out and a mask requirement might not be enforced even if counties don’t do that.

Wyandotte County in the Kansas City area and Douglas County in northeastern Kansas, which is home to the main University of Kansas campus, already require masks. The health officer in Douglas County also ordered bars there closed for two weeks, starting Friday, after reported COVID-19 cases more than doubled in the last two weeks, from 85 to 188 as of Wednesday.

Kansas has had 14,990 confirmed COVID-19 cases since the pandemic started, including 547 new ones since Monday for a 3.8% increase in two days. There were also two new COVID-19 deaths since Monday, raising the state’s overall tally to 272.

One new case involved an employee of the Kansas Legislature who tested positive along with his father and stepmother. Tom Day, director of legislative administrative services, said the employee has been working from home for a week and, “There has been very little contact with anyone else” in the Statehouse.

Since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a5e30a0ec7a5943ada9f03af22ee1970">Kelly lifted statewide restrictions</a>&nbsp;on businesses and public gatherings immediately after Memorial Day, Kansas has had 5,653 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, which amounted to a 61% increase, and 84 deaths, for a 45% jump.

The Democratic governor’s action left the rules for businesses and gatherings to the state’s 105 counties and came after weeks of criticism from the Republican-controlled Legislature that she was reopening the economy too slowly.

“We are seeing a significant increase in clusters related to gatherings where masks are not being worn, bars in particular,” Norman said. “I’m worried about what we’re going to see happening over July Fourth.”

Norman said he’s also worried that Kansas will see another spike in cases this fall because the State Fair is still set to take place in Hutchinson despite the pandemic. The fair board voted Tuesday to hold the event Sept. 11-20.

Patrons will be required to wear masks at indoor commercial and competitive exhibit spaces and will be encouraged to wear them elsewhere. But crowds won’t be limited.

Norman called the decision to proceed with the event against his recommendation “disappointing.”

Fair General Manager Robin Jennison said its safety plan will be fine-tuned as needed.

“It’s a tremendous boost for the economy of the area,”&nbsp; “A lot of us feel at some point we need to get back on with our lives.”

The novel coronavirus’ spread slowed in Kansas from mid-May until mid-June, but it has since had a resurgence.

The number of new cases a day for the two-week period ending Wednesday was 236, which was the state’s highest figure since the two weeks that ended May 15. The figure dipped to 95 for the two weeks that ended June 14.

Sixteen counties have seen reported cases more than double during the past two weeks, and another six counties that had none as of June 17 have had at least one, including Thomas County in northwest Kansas, which now has 15.

<a href="https://apnews.com/80b931eac73e30698624559a5e068032">Riley County</a>&nbsp;has seen its reported cases more than double, to 219 from 88 two weeks ago, something local officials attribute mainly to cases among people 18 to 24 who’ve frequented the Aggieville bar and restaurant district near the Kansas State University campus in Manhattan.

Neighboring Geary County also has seen its reported cases more than double, to 70 from 30 two weeks ago, and adjacent Pottawatomie County has seen an 85% jump, from 40 to 74.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593684498845.png" alt="During his Wednesday news conference, KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman said,&nbsp; "We’d have to have some calm before the next wave, and we’re not there or anywhere close to it."" />
 <figcaption>During his Wednesday news conference, KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman said,&nbsp; "We’d have to have some calm before the next wave, and we’re not there or anywhere close to it."</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ top public health official predicted Wednesday that the state will face steeper increases in coronavirus cases and suggested that it blew its chance for a summer respite from the pandemic by reopening its economy too quickly.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKDHEnews%2Fvideos%2F574144539956381%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Dr. Lee Norman, the top administrator at the state Department of Health and Environment, blamed a recent surge in new confirmed cases on gatherings over the long Memorial Day weekend and the May 26 lifting of statewide restrictions on businesses and gatherings. He said Kansas remains struck in its first wave of the coronavirus pandemic.“We’d have to have some calm before the next wave, and we’re not there or anywhere close to it,” Norman said after a Statehouse news conference during which he described Kansas as being “in the middle of a bad convergence.”Norman’s comments came a day before Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who appointed him, was to issue&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/7457a306628413b9f3d6409a32e73283">an executive order requiring people to wear masks</a>&nbsp;in public. The order&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2ed56b6d64038adee0dc17465073232b">could be toothless</a>&nbsp;in much of the state because a law enacted last month allows counties to opt out and a mask requirement might not be enforced even if counties don’t do that.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593622993638.png" alt="July 1, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>July 1, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>Wyandotte County in the Kansas City area and Douglas County in northeastern Kansas, which is home to the main University of Kansas campus, already require masks. The health officer in Douglas County also ordered bars there closed for two weeks, starting Friday, after reported COVID-19 cases more than doubled in the last two weeks, from 85 to 188 as of Wednesday.Kansas has had 14,990 confirmed COVID-19 cases since the pandemic started, including 547 new ones since Monday for a 3.8% increase in two days. There were also two new COVID-19 deaths since Monday, raising the state’s overall tally to 272.One new case involved an employee of the Kansas Legislature who tested positive along with his father and stepmother. Tom Day, director of legislative administrative services, said the employee has been working from home for a week and, “There has been very little contact with anyone else” in the Statehouse.Since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a5e30a0ec7a5943ada9f03af22ee1970">Kelly lifted statewide restrictions</a>&nbsp;on businesses and public gatherings immediately after Memorial Day, Kansas has had 5,653 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, which amounted to a 61% increase, and 84 deaths, for a 45% jump.The Democratic governor’s action left the rules for businesses and gatherings to the state’s 105 counties and came after weeks of criticism from the Republican-controlled Legislature that she was reopening the economy too slowly.“We are seeing a significant increase in clusters related to gatherings where masks are not being worn, bars in particular,” Norman said. “I’m worried about what we’re going to see happening over July Fourth.”Norman said he’s also worried that Kansas will see another spike in cases this fall because the State Fair is still set to take place in Hutchinson despite the pandemic. The fair board voted Tuesday to hold the event Sept. 11-20.Patrons will be required to wear masks at indoor commercial and competitive exhibit spaces and will be encouraged to wear them elsewhere. But crowds won’t be limited.Norman called the decision to proceed with the event against his recommendation “disappointing.”Fair General Manager Robin Jennison said its safety plan will be fine-tuned as needed.“It’s a tremendous boost for the economy of the area,”&nbsp; “A lot of us feel at some point we need to get back on with our lives.”The novel coronavirus’ spread slowed in Kansas from mid-May until mid-June, but it has since had a resurgence.The number of new cases a day for the two-week period ending Wednesday was 236, which was the state’s highest figure since the two weeks that ended May 15. The figure dipped to 95 for the two weeks that ended June 14.Sixteen counties have seen reported cases more than double during the past two weeks, and another six counties that had none as of June 17 have had at least one, including Thomas County in northwest Kansas, which now has 15.<a href="https://apnews.com/80b931eac73e30698624559a5e068032">Riley County</a>&nbsp;has seen its reported cases more than double, to 219 from 88 two weeks ago, something local officials attribute mainly to cases among people 18 to 24 who’ve frequented the Aggieville bar and restaurant district near the Kansas State University campus in Manhattan.Neighboring Geary County also has seen its reported cases more than double, to 70 from 30 two weeks ago, and adjacent Pottawatomie County has seen an 85% jump, from 40 to 74.___

🎥  Dr. Lee Norman: Kansas blew chance for coronavirus respite


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The Reno County Health Department is continuing to work with all local long term care facilities to create and administer appropriate reopening plans for each entity. 

Said plans seek to ensure the safety and wellbeing of residents, staff, and the Reno County community in accordance with direction furnished by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services.

It should be recognized that each long term care facility is beholden to further regulation external of those in Reno County which includes, but is not limited to, those from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services and the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services.

Further, great care continues to be taken to ensure the most complete and competent plans for reopening are put forth to ensure the safety of all. Recognition by the community of the omittance of long-term care facilities in the most recent House Bill 2016 which sought to create liability coverage following dutiful safety protocol and procedures being put in place, is appreciated.

The long-term care community and the Reno County Health Department appreciate the patience and grace exercised by the community as each organization’s plans are developed and installed.

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HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The Reno County Health Department is continuing to work with all local long term care facilities to create and administer appropriate reopening plans for each entity. Said plans seek to ensure the safety and wellbeing of residents, staff, and the Reno County community in accordance with direction furnished by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services.It should be recognized that each long term care facility is beholden to further regulation external of those in Reno County which includes, but is not limited to, those from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services and the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services.Further, great care continues to be taken to ensure the most complete and competent plans for reopening are put forth to ensure the safety of all. Recognition by the community of the omittance of long-term care facilities in the most recent House Bill 2016 which sought to create liability coverage following dutiful safety protocol and procedures being put in place, is appreciated.The long-term care community and the Reno County Health Department appreciate the patience and grace exercised by the community as each organization’s plans are developed and installed.

Reno County Health Department still working on plans for long-term care facilities


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Reno County now has ten active cases of COVID-19.

The four new cases announced Wednesday include a related male and female in their 30s and 40s respectively with a known source of exposure and a male in his 20s with a known source of exposure, along with a female under the age of 18 with an unknown source of exposure.

Fifty-seven previously confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Reno County have recovered from their illness and are no longer considered contagious per disease investigation guidelines furnished by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

The ten active cases are being investigated to establish isolation requirements and identify close contacts so that appropriate quarantine requirements can be implemented.

Reno County has run 2,697 tests with 2,632 negatives for a positive case rate of 2.41%. A total of 4.29% of Reno County has been tested thus far.

Continue good hygiene with frequent hand washing, proper respiratory etiquette such as coughing and sneezing into your elbow bend, wearing a mask when going out in public, limiting handshakes and physical contact. Stay home if you are feeling ill and call your primary care physician to discuss your symptoms.

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HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Reno County now has ten active cases of COVID-19.The four new cases announced Wednesday include a related male and female in their 30s and 40s respectively with a known source of exposure and a male in his 20s with a known source of exposure, along with a female under the age of 18 with an unknown source of exposure.Fifty-seven previously confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Reno County have recovered from their illness and are no longer considered contagious per disease investigation guidelines furnished by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.The ten active cases are being investigated to establish isolation requirements and identify close contacts so that appropriate quarantine requirements can be implemented.Reno County has run 2,697 tests with 2,632 negatives for a positive case rate of 2.41%. A total of 4.29% of Reno County has been tested thus far.Continue good hygiene with frequent hand washing, proper respiratory etiquette such as coughing and sneezing into your elbow bend, wearing a mask when going out in public, limiting handshakes and physical contact. Stay home if you are feeling ill and call your primary care physician to discuss your symptoms.

Reno County now with 10 active COVID-19 cases


HARVEY COUNTY — 
The Harvey County Health Department has confirmed its 42nd case of COVID-19 in Harvey County.

The confirmed case is a man in his 40s. The case remains under investigation. Testing was completed by a private lab. The individual is in home isolation. The Health Department will regularly monitor the health of the individual, as well as follow up on all close contacts.

Harvey County has had 42 COVID-19 cases to date, including 38 confirmed and four probable cases. There are 18 known active cases in Harvey County. None of these individuals are currently hospitalized.

There have been 1,721 tests for COVID-19 conducted in Harvey County.

As of today, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment confirmed 14,990 cases of COVID-19 in the state to date. The KDHE reported 182,797 completed tests in Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586533807157.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>
HARVEY COUNTY — 
The Harvey County Health Department has confirmed its 42nd case of COVID-19 in Harvey County.The confirmed case is a man in his 40s. The case remains under investigation. Testing was completed by a private lab. The individual is in home isolation. The Health Department will regularly monitor the health of the individual, as well as follow up on all close contacts.Harvey County has had 42 COVID-19 cases to date, including 38 confirmed and four probable cases. There are 18 known active cases in Harvey County. None of these individuals are currently hospitalized.There have been 1,721 tests for COVID-19 conducted in Harvey County.As of today, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment confirmed 14,990 cases of COVID-19 in the state to date. The KDHE reported 182,797 completed tests in Kansas.

Harvey County active COVID-19 case count at 18

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas is providing faculty more flexibility if they don’t feel comfortable teaching in-person classes in the fall amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Barbara Bichelmeyer said Monday that decisions on courses, how they would be taught and teaching assignments “should be the purview of the department or program,” KCUR&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-06-30/ku-reverses-course-and-gives-faculty-choice-of-whether-to-teach-in-person-classes-in-the-fall" target="_blank">reports.</a>

The move came after faculty had pushed back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/dadb98240b27a4922043fe790c5da99e">last week</a>&nbsp;after they were told to return to campus beginning Aug. 24, unless they could invoke an exemption under the Americans with Disabilities Act. More than 50 department leaders signed a letter to Bichelmeyer raising concerns.

Instead of filing for an accommodation under the ADA, instructors will simply be asked to indicate their teaching preferences and to note the safety level they require in order to teach in person.

Bichelmeyer said that the teachers’ concerns were legitimate and understandable, “and this was just a case where trying to solve a problem with a precedent using the ADA doesn’t work in an unprecedented situation.”

In a letter to faculty and staff Tuesday, Bichelmeyer said that it remained the university’s goal to have as many in-person and hybrid classes as possible in the fall

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas is providing faculty more flexibility if they don’t feel comfortable teaching in-person classes in the fall amid the coronavirus pandemic.Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Barbara Bichelmeyer said Monday that decisions on courses, how they would be taught and teaching assignments “should be the purview of the department or program,” KCUR&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-06-30/ku-reverses-course-and-gives-faculty-choice-of-whether-to-teach-in-person-classes-in-the-fall" target="_blank">reports.</a>The move came after faculty had pushed back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/dadb98240b27a4922043fe790c5da99e">last week</a>&nbsp;after they were told to return to campus beginning Aug. 24, unless they could invoke an exemption under the Americans with Disabilities Act. More than 50 department leaders signed a letter to Bichelmeyer raising concerns.Instead of filing for an accommodation under the ADA, instructors will simply be asked to indicate their teaching preferences and to note the safety level they require in order to teach in person.Bichelmeyer said that the teachers’ concerns were legitimate and understandable, “and this was just a case where trying to solve a problem with a precedent using the ADA doesn’t work in an unprecedented situation.”In a letter to faculty and staff Tuesday, Bichelmeyer said that it remained the university’s goal to have as many in-person and hybrid classes as possible in the fall

University of Kansas backs away from in-person requirement

Waldron Place in Hutchinson, KS, assisted living by Americare, updated its COVID-19 testing status.

All residents and employees were tested for the virus and all results have come back negative for COVID-19. In addition, the employee who originally tested positive is considered recovered from the virus.

The in-room quarantine for the Arbors is being lifted and will be lifted at the assisted living building on Wednesday, July 1. A no visitors policy is still in place at the facility.

All test results have been reported to state and local health departments, and all residents, employees and resident family members have been updated.

For more information on how Americare facilities are addressing the coronavirus pandemic please visit our website at <a href="https://www.americareusa.net/coronavirus">https://www.americareusa.net/coronavirus</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593167339950.jpeg" alt="Waldron Place Hutch" />
 <figcaption>Waldron Place Hutch</figcaption>
 </figure>Waldron Place in Hutchinson, KS, assisted living by Americare, updated its COVID-19 testing status.All residents and employees were tested for the virus and all results have come back negative for COVID-19. In addition, the employee who originally tested positive is considered recovered from the virus.The in-room quarantine for the Arbors is being lifted and will be lifted at the assisted living building on Wednesday, July 1. A no visitors policy is still in place at the facility.All test results have been reported to state and local health departments, and all residents, employees and resident family members have been updated.For more information on how Americare facilities are addressing the coronavirus pandemic please visit our website at <a href="https://www.americareusa.net/coronavirus">https://www.americareusa.net/coronavirus</a>.

Waldron Place with no positive cases of COVID-19, employee has recovered


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Reno County Health Officer Nick Baldetti is going to be writing a new Health Order, to be put into effect once the language of Governor Laura Kelly's Executive Order is clear. That health order will not mandate mask usage in Reno County, though it is still recommended.

"I think that's a good plan," said Commission Chair Ron Sellers. "I agree with that plan. My only comment is that, in my opinion, the citizens of Reno County should do all they can to help our Health Officer keep the numbers of the virus in Reno County down and I think that can be helped by wearing masks where it's appropriate."

Baldetti says the science on mask wearing is clear.

"Mask use is a fundamental public health practice that can mitigate the spread of any aerosolized body," Baldetti said. "It doesn't have to be fancy. It isn't about the viral body spreading through how tight knit the mask is itself or what have you. What it's about is simply creating a barrier between the respiratory pathway and the expulsion of the aerosolized droplets. That's all it is."

It's supposed to keep you from spreading virus to others, not to keep them from spreading to you. With that said, Reno County District Attorney Tom Stanton made clear he doesn't have the resources to bring civil actions against those who fail to wear masks.

"Looking at responses, just to the rumors of this order would indicate that there are a plethora of Reno County residents who will refuse to follow this order," Stanton said. "That's not why I'm here, to discuss whether they should or shouldn't, my point is, it appears that's going to happen. There's no way for us to really enforce in the manner and way which we would have several months ago."

Stanton just doesn't have the time and resources to chase down those cases. If a business were to post signage requiring masks, there are other statutes, like trespassing that could potentially apply, if a person were to refuse to mask up and refuse to leave, but mask wearing compliance alone, apart from that defiance, is a civil act, according to the new statute passed by the Legislature during the special session.

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Reno County Health Officer Nick Baldetti is going to be writing a new Health Order, to be put into effect once the language of Governor Laura Kelly's Executive Order is clear. That health order will not mandate mask usage in Reno County, though it is still recommended."I think that's a good plan," said Commission Chair Ron Sellers. "I agree with that plan. My only comment is that, in my opinion, the citizens of Reno County should do all they can to help our Health Officer keep the numbers of the virus in Reno County down and I think that can be helped by wearing masks where it's appropriate."Baldetti says the science on mask wearing is clear."Mask use is a fundamental public health practice that can mitigate the spread of any aerosolized body," Baldetti said. "It doesn't have to be fancy. It isn't about the viral body spreading through how tight knit the mask is itself or what have you. What it's about is simply creating a barrier between the respiratory pathway and the expulsion of the aerosolized droplets. That's all it is."It's supposed to keep you from spreading virus to others, not to keep them from spreading to you. With that said, Reno County District Attorney Tom Stanton made clear he doesn't have the resources to bring civil actions against those who fail to wear masks."Looking at responses, just to the rumors of this order would indicate that there are a plethora of Reno County residents who will refuse to follow this order," Stanton said. "That's not why I'm here, to discuss whether they should or shouldn't, my point is, it appears that's going to happen. There's no way for us to really enforce in the manner and way which we would have several months ago."Stanton just doesn't have the time and resources to chase down those cases. If a business were to post signage requiring masks, there are other statutes, like trespassing that could potentially apply, if a person were to refuse to mask up and refuse to leave, but mask wearing compliance alone, apart from that defiance, is a civil act, according to the new statute passed by the Legislature during the special session.

New health order to be written, masks recommended, not mandated

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly held a press briefing  Monday afternoon to discuss the increase in COVID-19 cases in Kansas.&nbsp; She announced that beginning 12:01 a.m. July 3 every Kansan in a public space will be required to wear a mask. Local officials will be responsible for enforcing the mandate, according to the governor.

“This is a simple, proactive step we can take to keep Kansans at work, get our kids back to school, and keep ourselves and our neighbors healthy,” Governor Kelly said. “Wearing a mask is not only safe – but it is necessary to avoid another shut down.

“Remember – my mask protects you, and your mask protects me,” Governor Kelly said. “We’re all in this together.”

Under the order, most Kansans must wear masks in stores and shops, restaurants, and in any situation in which social distancing of 6 feet cannot be maintained, including outside. The EO will be released on Thursday, and will provide specific guidance regarding under what circumstances masks must be worn.

“I know Kansans will have many questions about this order – and we will answer them when it is released later this week,” Governor Kelly said. “But by announcing the requirement today, people in our state will have the appropriate time to acquire the masks.”

The Kansas Attorney General’s Office will work closely with officials in Governor Kelly’s administration to ensure that the order complies with Kansas law.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 905 to a total of 14,443, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has added two states to the quarantine list: South Carolina and Florida and removed Maryland. This is in effect for persons arriving in or returning to Kansas&nbsp; June 29, and moving forward. The state will review/update this list every two weeks.

A comprehensive list of those individuals needing to quarantine for 14 days includes visitors and Kansans who have:

Others who need to continue quarantining:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593465508296.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly arrived at Monday's press briefing wearing a mask" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly arrived at Monday's press briefing wearing a mask</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly held a press briefing  Monday afternoon to discuss the increase in COVID-19 cases in Kansas.&nbsp; She announced that beginning 12:01 a.m. July 3 every Kansan in a public space will be required to wear a mask. Local officials will be responsible for enforcing the mandate, according to the governor.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F3154697867948519%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>“This is a simple, proactive step we can take to keep Kansans at work, get our kids back to school, and keep ourselves and our neighbors healthy,” Governor Kelly said. “Wearing a mask is not only safe – but it is necessary to avoid another shut down.“Remember – my mask protects you, and your mask protects me,” Governor Kelly said. “We’re all in this together.”Under the order, most Kansans must wear masks in stores and shops, restaurants, and in any situation in which social distancing of 6 feet cannot be maintained, including outside. The EO will be released on Thursday, and will provide specific guidance regarding under what circumstances masks must be worn.“I know Kansans will have many questions about this order – and we will answer them when it is released later this week,” Governor Kelly said. “But by announcing the requirement today, people in our state will have the appropriate time to acquire the masks.”The Kansas Attorney General’s Office will work closely with officials in Governor Kelly’s administration to ensure that the order complies with Kansas law.The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 905 to a total of 14,443, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 270.The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has added two states to the quarantine list: South Carolina and Florida and removed Maryland. This is in effect for persons arriving in or returning to Kansas&nbsp; June 29, and moving forward. The state will review/update this list every two weeks.A comprehensive list of those individuals needing to quarantine for 14 days includes visitors and Kansans who have:Traveled to:<ul>
 <li>South Carolina and Florida on or after June 29.</li><li>Alabama, Arizona and Arkansas on or after June 17.</li><li>Been on a cruise ship or river cruise on or after March 15.</li><li>International travel on or after March 15.</li>
 </ul>Others who need to continue quarantining:<ul>
 <li>Received notification from public health officials (state or local) that you are a close contact of a laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19.</li>
 </ul>

🎥  Gov. Kelly mandates all Kansans wear masks starting July 3


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Reno County has 11 active cases of COVID-19 as of Monday afternoon. 

According to the dashboard at renogov.org, 63 total positive cases have been recorded in the pandemic, with 52 recoveries.

2,653 tests have been administered with 2,590 negative, for a positive test rate of 2.37%. 4.22% of the population has been tested.

Eight of the positive cases since the beginning required hospitalization. None of the current cases are in the hospital. Five of the eight put in the hospital ended up in the ICU. Three were ventilated. No one has died from COVID-19 at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center thus far.

The statewide mortality rate is at 1.9%, with 271 deaths recorded statewide, out of 14,197 positives. 8,960 have recovered.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589472383275.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Reno County has 11 active cases of COVID-19 as of Monday afternoon. According to the dashboard at renogov.org, 63 total positive cases have been recorded in the pandemic, with 52 recoveries.2,653 tests have been administered with 2,590 negative, for a positive test rate of 2.37%. 4.22% of the population has been tested.Eight of the positive cases since the beginning required hospitalization. None of the current cases are in the hospital. Five of the eight put in the hospital ended up in the ICU. Three were ventilated. No one has died from COVID-19 at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center thus far.The statewide mortality rate is at 1.9%, with 271 deaths recorded statewide, out of 14,197 positives. 8,960 have recovered.

COVID-19 case count update: 11 active in Reno County

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 905 to a total of 14,443, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 905 to a total of 14,443, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 270<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593450200744.png" alt="Monday June 29, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Monday June 29, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

TOPEKA&nbsp;– The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) deployed a Mobile Testing Unit to assist communities with COVID-19 testing for underserved populations, according to a media release from Governor Laura Kelly's office.

“In order to combat the spread of COVID-19 and safely reopen Kansas, our public health experts must be able to track the scale and scope of this virus,” Governor Kelly said. “Working with local communities and public health officials, this mobile unit helps us reach the vulnerable populations that are experiencing barriers to testing access.”

KDHE is working with local health departments and other health organizations to identify locations throughout Kansas which would benefit from this service. The Mobile Testing Unit is a van outfitted with COVID-19 laboratory-sampling equipment that can travel to locations and areas as requested. Currently, the Mobile Testing Unit is tentatively scheduled through mid-July. It will make its first appearance in conjunction with an Advent Health/Mercy and Truth Medical Missions event in Wyandotte County on June 27. For information regarding that event or future events, please reach out to the organizing entity.

“We recognize there are disparities with COVID-19 testing,” said Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary. “Part of our testing strategy in Kansas is to alleviate the barriers to getting tested.”

The lab testing is provided at no cost to any individual seeking testing. There is also no cost to the community. The test being performed is a diagnostic test, meaning it will say if the individual currently has COVID-19. The Mobile Testing Unit will collect the samples while at each site and then send them to the Kansas Health and Environmental Laboratories for processing. Results will be available to individuals in approximately 1-2 days through the partnering local health department or health organization.

If you are interested in having the Mobile Testing Unit in your community, KDHE encourages people to coordinate with their local health departments or also reach out to our&nbsp;<a href="mailto:COVID-19@ks.gov" target="_blank">COVID-19@ks.gov</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593397742835.png" alt="Photo courtesy office of Kansas Governor" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy office of Kansas Governor</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;– The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) deployed a Mobile Testing Unit to assist communities with COVID-19 testing for underserved populations, according to a media release from Governor Laura Kelly's office.“In order to combat the spread of COVID-19 and safely reopen Kansas, our public health experts must be able to track the scale and scope of this virus,” Governor Kelly said. “Working with local communities and public health officials, this mobile unit helps us reach the vulnerable populations that are experiencing barriers to testing access.”KDHE is working with local health departments and other health organizations to identify locations throughout Kansas which would benefit from this service. The Mobile Testing Unit is a van outfitted with COVID-19 laboratory-sampling equipment that can travel to locations and areas as requested. Currently, the Mobile Testing Unit is tentatively scheduled through mid-July. It will make its first appearance in conjunction with an Advent Health/Mercy and Truth Medical Missions event in Wyandotte County on June 27. For information regarding that event or future events, please reach out to the organizing entity.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588193586788.png" alt="KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman answers questions during a governor's press conference in early June" />
 <figcaption>KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman answers questions during a governor's press conference in early June</figcaption>
 </figure>“We recognize there are disparities with COVID-19 testing,” said Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary. “Part of our testing strategy in Kansas is to alleviate the barriers to getting tested.”The lab testing is provided at no cost to any individual seeking testing. There is also no cost to the community. The test being performed is a diagnostic test, meaning it will say if the individual currently has COVID-19. The Mobile Testing Unit will collect the samples while at each site and then send them to the Kansas Health and Environmental Laboratories for processing. Results will be available to individuals in approximately 1-2 days through the partnering local health department or health organization.If you are interested in having the Mobile Testing Unit in your community, KDHE encourages people to coordinate with their local health departments or also reach out to our&nbsp;<a href="mailto:COVID-19@ks.gov" target="_blank">COVID-19@ks.gov</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

KDHE mobile unit to assist with COVID-19 testing in Kansas


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Phil Kerpen with American Commitment testified before Congress recently about focusing the government's attention where the risk of COVID-19 mortality appears to be highest, in the nation's long-term care facilities.

"About 55% of all of the deaths we've seen with coronavirus nationally, excluding New York, whose numbers are not reliable, took place in the long-term care facilities," Kerpen said. "The actual risk outside of them is much lower than people generally perceive, but the risk inside is quite extraordinarily high."

The Sunflower State also has more than half of its deaths from COVID-19 in long-term care facilities.

"Kansas is basically in line with that national average," Kerpen said. "You've had 149 of your 246 coronavirus deaths among residents of long-term care facilities. You're at 57%, a couple of ticks above that."

Kerpen cited those numbers Friday. As for federal policy from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Kerpen thinks for the most part, they have done okay.

"The problem at the federal level is a failure, from a communication standpoint, to explain who is at risk and to sort of focus, to say who needs to be protected," Kerpen said. "I think that the President and the CDC and NIH and the task force and all of these people, they should make very, very clear where most of the disease burden is in all of their messaging."

For those who continue to have concerns about an inability to see their loved ones in long-term care facilities, these statistics are the reason why leadership has made some unpopular choices thus far, and why those choices may not be reversed as soon as some would hope.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581346070421.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Phil Kerpen with American Commitment testified before Congress recently about focusing the government's attention where the risk of COVID-19 mortality appears to be highest, in the nation's long-term care facilities."About 55% of all of the deaths we've seen with coronavirus nationally, excluding New York, whose numbers are not reliable, took place in the long-term care facilities," Kerpen said. "The actual risk outside of them is much lower than people generally perceive, but the risk inside is quite extraordinarily high."The Sunflower State also has more than half of its deaths from COVID-19 in long-term care facilities."Kansas is basically in line with that national average," Kerpen said. "You've had 149 of your 246 coronavirus deaths among residents of long-term care facilities. You're at 57%, a couple of ticks above that."Kerpen cited those numbers Friday. As for federal policy from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Kerpen thinks for the most part, they have done okay."The problem at the federal level is a failure, from a communication standpoint, to explain who is at risk and to sort of focus, to say who needs to be protected," Kerpen said. "I think that the President and the CDC and NIH and the task force and all of these people, they should make very, very clear where most of the disease burden is in all of their messaging."For those who continue to have concerns about an inability to see their loved ones in long-term care facilities, these statistics are the reason why leadership has made some unpopular choices thus far, and why those choices may not be reversed as soon as some would hope.

Kerpen: COVID-19 risk in long term care facilities needs focus


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The American Red Cross is doing COVID-19 antibody testing on donated blood. This is not a diagnostic test.

"A diagnostic test would be one that you would be given if you had symptoms of the coronavirus," said spokesperson Jan Hale. "This antibody test is going to see if perhaps your body did build up some antibodies to the virus and you may not have even had symptoms."

Blood that is donated is tested for many diseases already before it is released into the blood supply.

"Every blood donation goes through some rigorous testing," Hale said. "This is just in addition to those tests. The Red Cross feels like this is kind of a win-win situation. We're thanking our generous donors for coming in to give and to help save a life and in return, we're saying, we know that you want additional information during these uncertain times."

It's still important that you only donate if you feel well.

"Again, this is not a diagnostic test," Hale said. "It's not going to be done at the drive. This is something that happens to your donation. That test will be administered after you have donated and when that collection unit has been sent for testing."

The best way for you to sign up for a blood drive and give them your information so they can get back with you is to use the Red Cross Blood Donor app. You can find it on your app store. The next public blood drive scheduled in Hutchinson is July 18 at the Hutchinson Mall.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/7/1564513943921.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The American Red Cross is doing COVID-19 antibody testing on donated blood. This is not a diagnostic test."A diagnostic test would be one that you would be given if you had symptoms of the coronavirus," said spokesperson Jan Hale. "This antibody test is going to see if perhaps your body did build up some antibodies to the virus and you may not have even had symptoms."Blood that is donated is tested for many diseases already before it is released into the blood supply."Every blood donation goes through some rigorous testing," Hale said. "This is just in addition to those tests. The Red Cross feels like this is kind of a win-win situation. We're thanking our generous donors for coming in to give and to help save a life and in return, we're saying, we know that you want additional information during these uncertain times."It's still important that you only donate if you feel well."Again, this is not a diagnostic test," Hale said. "It's not going to be done at the drive. This is something that happens to your donation. That test will be administered after you have donated and when that collection unit has been sent for testing."The best way for you to sign up for a blood drive and give them your information so they can get back with you is to use the Red Cross Blood Donor app. You can find it on your app store. The next public blood drive scheduled in Hutchinson is July 18 at the Hutchinson Mall.

Red Cross testing donated blood for COVID-19 antibodies

ROME (AP) — The world surpassed two sobering coronavirus milestones Sunday -- 500,000 confirmed deaths, 10 million confirmed cases -- and hit another high mark for daily new infections as governments that attempted reopenings continued to backtrack and warn that worse news could be yet to come.

“COVID-19 has taken a very swift and very dangerous turn in Texas over just the past few weeks,” said Gov. Greg Abbott, who allowed businesses to start reopening in early May but on Friday shut down bars and limited restaurant dining amid a spike in cases.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom rolled back reopenings of bars in seven counties, including Los Angeles. He ordered them to close immediately and urged eight other counties to issue local health orders mandating the same.

More Florida beaches will be closing again to avoid further spread of the new coronavirus as officials try to tamp down on large gatherings amid a spike in COVID-19 cases. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said interactions among young people are driving the surge.

“Caution was thrown to the wind and so we are where we are,” DeSantis said.

South Africa’s health minister warned that the country’s current surge of cases is expected to rapidly increase in the coming weeks and push hospitals to the limit. Health Minister Zwelini Mkhize said the current rise in infections has come from people who “moved back into the workplace.

New clusters of cases at a Swiss nightclub and in the central English city of Leicester showed that the virus was still circulating widely in Europe, though not with the rapidly growing infection rate seen in parts of the U.S., Latin America and India.

Poland and France, meanwhile, attempted a step toward normalcy as they held elections that had been delayed by the virus.

Wearing mandatory masks, social distancing in lines and carrying their own pens to sign voting registers, French voters cast ballots in a second round of municipal elections. Poles also wore masks and used hand sanitizer, and some in virus-hit areas were told to mail in their ballots.

“I didn’t go and vote the first time around because I am elderly and I got scared,” said Fanny Barouh as she voted in a Paris school.

In Texas, Abbott appeared with Vice President Mike Pence, who cut campaign events from upcoming visits to Florida and Arizona because of rising virus cases in those states.

Pence praised Abbott for both his decision to reopen the state, and to roll back the reopening plans.

“You flattened the curve here in Texas ... but about two weeks ago something changed,” Pence said.

Pence urged people to wear masks when unable to practice social distancing. He and Abbott wore face masks as they entered and left the room, taking them off while speaking to reporters.

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, meanwhile, defended the fact that President Donald Trump has rarely worn a mask in public, saying he doesn’t have to follow his own administration’s guidance because as a leader of the free world he’s tested regularly and is in “very different circumstances than the rest of us.”

Addressing spikes in reported coronavirus cases in some states, Azar said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that people “have to take ownership” of their own behaviors by social distancing and wearing masks if possible.

A reported tally Sunday from Johns Hopkins University researchers said the death toll from the coronavirus pandemic had topped 500,00.

About 1 in 4 of those deaths – more than 125,000 – have been reported in the U.S. The country with the next highest death toll is Brazil, with more than 57,000, or about 1 in 9.

The true death toll from the virus, which first emerged in China late last year, is widely believed to be significantly higher. Experts say that especially early on, many victims died of COVID-19 without being tested for it.

To date, more than 10 million confirmed cases have been reported globally. About a quarter of them have been reported in the U.S.

The World Health Organization announced another daily record in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases across the world - topping over 189,000 in a single 24-hour period. The tally eclipses the previous record a week earlier at over 183,000 cases, showing case counts continue to progress worldwide.

Overall the U.S. still has far and away the most total cases. At more than 2,450,000 - roughly twice that of Brazil. The number of actual cases worldwide is much higher.

New York, once the nation’s pandemic epicenter, is now “on the exact opposite end,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in an interview with “Meet the Press.”

The state reported five new virus deaths Saturday, its lowest reported daily death toll since March 15. During the state’s peak pandemic in April, nearly 800 people were dying every day. New York still leads the nation in COVID-19 deaths with nearly 25,000.

In the state of Washington, Gov. Jay Inslee put a hold on plans to move counties to the fourth phase of his reopening plan as cases continue to increase. But in Hawaii, the city of Honolulu announced that campgrounds will reopen for the first time in three months with limited permits to ensure social distancing.

Britain’s government, meanwhile, is considering whether a local lockdown is needed for the central English city of Leicester amid reports about a spike in COVID-19 among its Asian community. It would be Britain’s first local lockdown.

“We have seen flare-ups across the country in recent weeks,” Home Secretary Priti Patel told the BBC on Sunday.

Polish voters were casting ballots, in person and by mail, for a presidential election that was supposed to have taken place in May but was chaotically postponed amid the pandemic. President Andrzej Duda, a 48-year-old conservative, is running against 10 other candidates as he seeks a second five-year term.

Iwona Goge, 79, was encouraged to see so many people voting in Warsaw.

“It’s bad. Poland is terribly divided and people are getting discouraged,” she said.

French voters were choosing mayors and municipal councilors in Paris and 5,000 towns and cities in a second round of municipal elections held under strict hygiene rules.

Italy was honoring its dead later Sunday with an evening Requiem concert in hard-hit Bergamo province. The ceremony in the onetime epicenter of the European outbreak came a day after Italy registered the lowest daily tally of COVID-19 deaths in nearly four months: eight.

European leaders were taking no chances in tamping down new clusters. German authorities renewed a lockdown in a western region of about 500,000 people after about 1,300 slaughterhouse workers tested positive.

Africa’s confirmed cases of COVID-19 continued to climb to a new high of more than 371,000, including 9,484 deaths, according to figures released Sunday by the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

China on Monday reported a further decline in new confirmed cases, with a total of just 12, including seven cases of domestic transmission in Beijing, where nearly 8.3 million people have now undergone testing in recent weeks. No new deaths were reported Monday, leaving the total at 4,634 among 83,512 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

ROME (AP) — Another tragic milestone was passed Sunday in the coronavirus pandemic: 500,000 deaths worldwide.

The reported tally comes <a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html">from Johns Hopkins University </a>researchers.

The nation’s top public health agency has revamped its list of which Americans are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 illness, adding pregnant women and removing age alone as a factor.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html" target="_blank">changed the list</a>&nbsp;of underlying conditions that make someone more susceptible to suffering and death. Sickle cell disease joined the list, for example. And the threshold for risky levels of obesity was lowered.

The changes didn’t include adding race as a risk factor for serious illness, despite accumulating evidence that Black people, Hispanics and Native Americans have higher rates of infection, hospitalization and death.

Agency officials said the update was prompted by medical studies published since CDC first started listing high-risk groups. They sought to publicize the information before Independence Day weekend, when many people may be tempted to go out and socialize.

“For those at higher risk, we recommend limiting contact with others as much as possible, or restricting contacts to a small number of people who are willing to take measures to reduce the risk of (you) becoming infected,” said CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield.

The same advice holds for people who live with or care for people at higher risk, Redfield added.

Previously, the CDC said those at high risk of serious illness included people aged 65 years and older; those who live in a nursing home or long-term care facility; and people with serious heart conditions, obesity, diabetes, liver disease, chronic kidney disease, chronic lung disease, and conditions that leave them with weakened immune systems.

In the changes, CDC created categories of people who are at high risk and people who might be at high risk.

Those who are at high risk include people with chronic kidney disease, chronic inflammatory lung disease, obesity, serious heart conditions, sickle cell disease, Type 2 diabetes, and weakened immune systems because of organ transplants. The threshold for obesity concern was lowered from a body mass index of 40 down to 30.

The CDC said people are at increasing risk as they get older, but it removed people 65 and older as a high risk group.

The list of people who might be at high risk includes pregnant women, smokers and those with asthma, diseases that affect blood flow to the brain, cystic fibrosis, high blood pressure, dementia, liver disease, scarred or damaged lungs, Type 1 diabetes, a rare blood disorder called thalassemia, and people who have weakened immune systems due to HIV or other reasons.

Pregnant women joined the list on the same day a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6925a1.htm?s_cid=mm6925a1_w" target="_blank">CDC report&nbsp;</a>found they accounted for about 9% of lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases in women of childbearing age. About 5% of women of childbearing age are pregnant at any given time.

The report showed that pregnant women had higher rates of hospitalization, of admission to a hospital intensive care unit and of winding up on a breathing machine vs. young women who weren’t pregnant. There was no clear evidence of a higher death rate among pregnant women, however.

It’s not completely surprising, said Dr. Denise Jamieson, chair of obstetrics and gynecology at the Emory University School of Medicine. Pregnant women have been found to be at higher risk from other infectious respiratory diseases, likely because the lungs decrease in the volume as the uterus grows, Jamieson said.

What is surprising, she said, is that CDC didn’t place pregnant women in the highest risk category.

“To me this is the most compelling evidence to date that pregnant women are at increased risk,” said Jamieson, who spent 20 years at CDC as a reproductive health expert.

Earlier this week, CDC officials called on a panel of experts to help them identify groups that should be prioritized for coronavirus vaccinations if one becomes available and supplies are limited.

Pregnant women could be among that group. So could certain racial and ethnic groups.

CDC officials shared data with the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices that showed, compared with white Americans, coronavirus hospitalization rates were 4 times higher for Hispanics, 4.5 times higher for Black people, and 5.5 higher for American Indians and Alaska Natives. A recent study in the Atlanta area suggested that being Black was as large a risk for hospitalization as having diabetes, being a smoker or being obese.

“If we fail to address racial and ethnic groups as at high risk for prioritization, whatever comes out of our group will be looked at very suspiciously and with a lot of reservation,” said Dr. Jose Romero, chair of the expert panel.

“They are groups that need to be moved to the forefront,” he said.

CDC officials say they expect to come out with recommendations for racial and ethnic minority groups soon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593379644162.png" alt="John Hopkins Covid 19 map of of confirmed cases June 28, 2020" />
 <figcaption>John Hopkins Covid 19 map of of confirmed cases June 28, 2020</figcaption>
 </figure>ROME (AP) — The world surpassed two sobering coronavirus milestones Sunday -- 500,000 confirmed deaths, 10 million confirmed cases -- and hit another high mark for daily new infections as governments that attempted reopenings continued to backtrack and warn that worse news could be yet to come.“COVID-19 has taken a very swift and very dangerous turn in Texas over just the past few weeks,” said Gov. Greg Abbott, who allowed businesses to start reopening in early May but on Friday shut down bars and limited restaurant dining amid a spike in cases.California Gov. Gavin Newsom rolled back reopenings of bars in seven counties, including Los Angeles. He ordered them to close immediately and urged eight other counties to issue local health orders mandating the same.More Florida beaches will be closing again to avoid further spread of the new coronavirus as officials try to tamp down on large gatherings amid a spike in COVID-19 cases. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said interactions among young people are driving the surge.“Caution was thrown to the wind and so we are where we are,” DeSantis said.South Africa’s health minister warned that the country’s current surge of cases is expected to rapidly increase in the coming weeks and push hospitals to the limit. Health Minister Zwelini Mkhize said the current rise in infections has come from people who “moved back into the workplace.New clusters of cases at a Swiss nightclub and in the central English city of Leicester showed that the virus was still circulating widely in Europe, though not with the rapidly growing infection rate seen in parts of the U.S., Latin America and India.Poland and France, meanwhile, attempted a step toward normalcy as they held elections that had been delayed by the virus.Wearing mandatory masks, social distancing in lines and carrying their own pens to sign voting registers, French voters cast ballots in a second round of municipal elections. Poles also wore masks and used hand sanitizer, and some in virus-hit areas were told to mail in their ballots.“I didn’t go and vote the first time around because I am elderly and I got scared,” said Fanny Barouh as she voted in a Paris school.In Texas, Abbott appeared with Vice President Mike Pence, who cut campaign events from upcoming visits to Florida and Arizona because of rising virus cases in those states.Pence praised Abbott for both his decision to reopen the state, and to roll back the reopening plans.“You flattened the curve here in Texas ... but about two weeks ago something changed,” Pence said.Pence urged people to wear masks when unable to practice social distancing. He and Abbott wore face masks as they entered and left the room, taking them off while speaking to reporters.Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, meanwhile, defended the fact that President Donald Trump has rarely worn a mask in public, saying he doesn’t have to follow his own administration’s guidance because as a leader of the free world he’s tested regularly and is in “very different circumstances than the rest of us.”Addressing spikes in reported coronavirus cases in some states, Azar said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that people “have to take ownership” of their own behaviors by social distancing and wearing masks if possible.A reported tally Sunday from Johns Hopkins University researchers said the death toll from the coronavirus pandemic had topped 500,00.About 1 in 4 of those deaths – more than 125,000 – have been reported in the U.S. The country with the next highest death toll is Brazil, with more than 57,000, or about 1 in 9.The true death toll from the virus, which first emerged in China late last year, is widely believed to be significantly higher. Experts say that especially early on, many victims died of COVID-19 without being tested for it.To date, more than 10 million confirmed cases have been reported globally. About a quarter of them have been reported in the U.S.The World Health Organization announced another daily record in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases across the world - topping over 189,000 in a single 24-hour period. The tally eclipses the previous record a week earlier at over 183,000 cases, showing case counts continue to progress worldwide.Overall the U.S. still has far and away the most total cases. At more than 2,450,000 - roughly twice that of Brazil. The number of actual cases worldwide is much higher.New York, once the nation’s pandemic epicenter, is now “on the exact opposite end,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in an interview with “Meet the Press.”The state reported five new virus deaths Saturday, its lowest reported daily death toll since March 15. During the state’s peak pandemic in April, nearly 800 people were dying every day. New York still leads the nation in COVID-19 deaths with nearly 25,000.In the state of Washington, Gov. Jay Inslee put a hold on plans to move counties to the fourth phase of his reopening plan as cases continue to increase. But in Hawaii, the city of Honolulu announced that campgrounds will reopen for the first time in three months with limited permits to ensure social distancing.Britain’s government, meanwhile, is considering whether a local lockdown is needed for the central English city of Leicester amid reports about a spike in COVID-19 among its Asian community. It would be Britain’s first local lockdown.“We have seen flare-ups across the country in recent weeks,” Home Secretary Priti Patel told the BBC on Sunday.Polish voters were casting ballots, in person and by mail, for a presidential election that was supposed to have taken place in May but was chaotically postponed amid the pandemic. President Andrzej Duda, a 48-year-old conservative, is running against 10 other candidates as he seeks a second five-year term.Iwona Goge, 79, was encouraged to see so many people voting in Warsaw.“It’s bad. Poland is terribly divided and people are getting discouraged,” she said.French voters were choosing mayors and municipal councilors in Paris and 5,000 towns and cities in a second round of municipal elections held under strict hygiene rules.Italy was honoring its dead later Sunday with an evening Requiem concert in hard-hit Bergamo province. The ceremony in the onetime epicenter of the European outbreak came a day after Italy registered the lowest daily tally of COVID-19 deaths in nearly four months: eight.European leaders were taking no chances in tamping down new clusters. German authorities renewed a lockdown in a western region of about 500,000 people after about 1,300 slaughterhouse workers tested positive.Africa’s confirmed cases of COVID-19 continued to climb to a new high of more than 371,000, including 9,484 deaths, according to figures released Sunday by the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.China on Monday reported a further decline in new confirmed cases, with a total of just 12, including seven cases of domestic transmission in Beijing, where nearly 8.3 million people have now undergone testing in recent weeks. No new deaths were reported Monday, leaving the total at 4,634 among 83,512 confirmed cases of COVID-19.___ROME (AP) — Another tragic milestone was passed Sunday in the coronavirus pandemic: 500,000 deaths worldwide.The reported tally comes <a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html">from Johns Hopkins University </a>researchers.About 1 in 4 of those deaths – more than 125,000 – have been reported in the U.S. The country with the next highest death toll is Brazil, with more than 57,000, or about 1 in 9.The true death toll from the virus, which first emerged in China late last year, is widely believed to be significantly higher. Experts say that especially early on, many victims died of COVID-19 without being tested for it.To date, more than 10 million confirmed cases have been reported globally. About a quarter of them have been reported in the U.S.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590784947764.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>The nation’s top public health agency has revamped its list of which Americans are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 illness, adding pregnant women and removing age alone as a factor.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html" target="_blank">changed the list</a>&nbsp;of underlying conditions that make someone more susceptible to suffering and death. Sickle cell disease joined the list, for example. And the threshold for risky levels of obesity was lowered.The changes didn’t include adding race as a risk factor for serious illness, despite accumulating evidence that Black people, Hispanics and Native Americans have higher rates of infection, hospitalization and death.Agency officials said the update was prompted by medical studies published since CDC first started listing high-risk groups. They sought to publicize the information before Independence Day weekend, when many people may be tempted to go out and socialize.“For those at higher risk, we recommend limiting contact with others as much as possible, or restricting contacts to a small number of people who are willing to take measures to reduce the risk of (you) becoming infected,” said CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield.The same advice holds for people who live with or care for people at higher risk, Redfield added.Previously, the CDC said those at high risk of serious illness included people aged 65 years and older; those who live in a nursing home or long-term care facility; and people with serious heart conditions, obesity, diabetes, liver disease, chronic kidney disease, chronic lung disease, and conditions that leave them with weakened immune systems.In the changes, CDC created categories of people who are at high risk and people who might be at high risk.Those who are at high risk include people with chronic kidney disease, chronic inflammatory lung disease, obesity, serious heart conditions, sickle cell disease, Type 2 diabetes, and weakened immune systems because of organ transplants. The threshold for obesity concern was lowered from a body mass index of 40 down to 30.The CDC said people are at increasing risk as they get older, but it removed people 65 and older as a high risk group.The list of people who might be at high risk includes pregnant women, smokers and those with asthma, diseases that affect blood flow to the brain, cystic fibrosis, high blood pressure, dementia, liver disease, scarred or damaged lungs, Type 1 diabetes, a rare blood disorder called thalassemia, and people who have weakened immune systems due to HIV or other reasons.Pregnant women joined the list on the same day a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6925a1.htm?s_cid=mm6925a1_w" target="_blank">CDC report&nbsp;</a>found they accounted for about 9% of lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases in women of childbearing age. About 5% of women of childbearing age are pregnant at any given time.The report showed that pregnant women had higher rates of hospitalization, of admission to a hospital intensive care unit and of winding up on a breathing machine vs. young women who weren’t pregnant. There was no clear evidence of a higher death rate among pregnant women, however.It’s not completely surprising, said Dr. Denise Jamieson, chair of obstetrics and gynecology at the Emory University School of Medicine. Pregnant women have been found to be at higher risk from other infectious respiratory diseases, likely because the lungs decrease in the volume as the uterus grows, Jamieson said.What is surprising, she said, is that CDC didn’t place pregnant women in the highest risk category.“To me this is the most compelling evidence to date that pregnant women are at increased risk,” said Jamieson, who spent 20 years at CDC as a reproductive health expert.Earlier this week, CDC officials called on a panel of experts to help them identify groups that should be prioritized for coronavirus vaccinations if one becomes available and supplies are limited.Pregnant women could be among that group. So could certain racial and ethnic groups.CDC officials shared data with the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices that showed, compared with white Americans, coronavirus hospitalization rates were 4 times higher for Hispanics, 4.5 times higher for Black people, and 5.5 higher for American Indians and Alaska Natives. A recent study in the Atlanta area suggested that being Black was as large a risk for hospitalization as having diabetes, being a smoker or being obese.“If we fail to address racial and ethnic groups as at high risk for prioritization, whatever comes out of our group will be looked at very suspiciously and with a lot of reservation,” said Dr. Jose Romero, chair of the expert panel.“They are groups that need to be moved to the forefront,” he said.CDC officials say they expect to come out with recommendations for racial and ethnic minority groups soon.___

World hits coronavirus milestones amid fears worse to come

MCPHERSON COUNTY —&nbsp;McPherson County continues to have a tremendous increase in coronavirus disease case count, with twelve new cases announced over the weekend. Many of those cases are asymptomatic, meaning they do not have any signs or symptoms. A portion of these positive cases report attending gatherings at local lakes, parties, or traveling sport tournaments while contagious.

These are events both inside and outside of McPherson County. If you are notified by the Health Department of being a contact of someone who is positive for COVID-19, the health department says you MUST quarantine at home for 14 days. This means that a negative test will not return an exposed person to work/sports/daycare/etc. sooner than 14 days. If you are a contact, decide to be tested, and it comes back negative, you still have to finish your 14-day period because you may become contagious anytime during the rest of the 14 days. 

If you are being tested for COVID-19, you are considered a Person Under Investigation. A person under investigation must isolate while waiting on results. That person should isolate away from anyone in their household. If they are not able to isolate away from the household members by staying in their own room, the entire household must quarantine while awaiting results to reduce exposure. 

If a person in quarantine does not develop any COVID-19 symptoms, then they are released from quarantine at the end of 14 days. If symptoms do develop during those 14 days, the person is to contact their primary provider for further evaluation or testing. People who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 may be released from isolation at the direction of the Health Department when it has been 10 days since the onset of symptoms and 72 hours since symptoms have resolved. This symptom-based method of returning people to work is preferred to a testing-based method of returning people to work because tests can still remain positive long after the virus is no longer active. 

These are challenging days for groups and businesses. They are responsible for providing a safe environment for their employees and participants. They are severely affected when their employees and participants are excluded due to exposure. Much of this exposure is occurring outside of work. The best way to keep our businesses open and functional and keep our social interactions available is to maintain a 6-foot physical distance between people and wear a mask when in public when physical distancing may be difficult to maintain. 

McPherson County Health Department reports 74 total confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in McPherson County. 42 of the total confirmed cases have now met recovery guidelines set forth by the KDHE. 

• Positive case #63 is a symptomatic female in her teens with known exposure and is recovering at home. 

• Positive case #64 is a symptomatic male in his 40s with unknown exposure and is recovering at home. 

• Positive case #65 is a symptomatic male in his 20s with unknown exposure and is recovering at home. 

• Positive case #66 is a symptomatic female in her teens with unknown exposure and is recovering at home. 

• Positive case #67 is an asymptomatic male in his teens with known exposure and is recovering at home. 

• Positive case #68 is a symptomatic male in his 60s with known exposure and is hospitalized. 

• Positive case #69 is a symptomatic male in his 20s with known exposure and is recovering at home. 

• Positive case #70 is a symptomatic male in his 40s with unknown exposure and is recovering at home. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586828341581.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>MCPHERSON COUNTY —&nbsp;McPherson County continues to have a tremendous increase in coronavirus disease case count, with twelve new cases announced over the weekend. Many of those cases are asymptomatic, meaning they do not have any signs or symptoms. A portion of these positive cases report attending gatherings at local lakes, parties, or traveling sport tournaments while contagious.These are events both inside and outside of McPherson County. If you are notified by the Health Department of being a contact of someone who is positive for COVID-19, the health department says you MUST quarantine at home for 14 days. This means that a negative test will not return an exposed person to work/sports/daycare/etc. sooner than 14 days. If you are a contact, decide to be tested, and it comes back negative, you still have to finish your 14-day period because you may become contagious anytime during the rest of the 14 days. If you are being tested for COVID-19, you are considered a Person Under Investigation. A person under investigation must isolate while waiting on results. That person should isolate away from anyone in their household. If they are not able to isolate away from the household members by staying in their own room, the entire household must quarantine while awaiting results to reduce exposure. If a person in quarantine does not develop any COVID-19 symptoms, then they are released from quarantine at the end of 14 days. If symptoms do develop during those 14 days, the person is to contact their primary provider for further evaluation or testing. People who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 may be released from isolation at the direction of the Health Department when it has been 10 days since the onset of symptoms and 72 hours since symptoms have resolved. This symptom-based method of returning people to work is preferred to a testing-based method of returning people to work because tests can still remain positive long after the virus is no longer active. These are challenging days for groups and businesses. They are responsible for providing a safe environment for their employees and participants. They are severely affected when their employees and participants are excluded due to exposure. Much of this exposure is occurring outside of work. The best way to keep our businesses open and functional and keep our social interactions available is to maintain a 6-foot physical distance between people and wear a mask when in public when physical distancing may be difficult to maintain. McPherson County Health Department reports 74 total confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in McPherson County. 42 of the total confirmed cases have now met recovery guidelines set forth by the KDHE. • Positive case #63 is a symptomatic female in her teens with known exposure and is recovering at home. • Positive case #64 is a symptomatic male in his 40s with unknown exposure and is recovering at home. • Positive case #65 is a symptomatic male in his 20s with unknown exposure and is recovering at home. • Positive case #66 is a symptomatic female in her teens with unknown exposure and is recovering at home. • Positive case #67 is an asymptomatic male in his teens with known exposure and is recovering at home. • Positive case #68 is a symptomatic male in his 60s with known exposure and is hospitalized. • Positive case #69 is a symptomatic male in his 20s with known exposure and is recovering at home. • Positive case #70 is a symptomatic male in his 40s with unknown exposure and is recovering at home. • Positive case #71 is a symptomatic female in her 20s with unknown exposure and is recovering at home. • Positive case #72 is a symptomatic female under the age of 3 with known exposure and is recovering at home.• Positive case #73 is a symptomatic male in his 30s with known exposure and is recovering at home. • Positive case #74 is a symptomatic male in his 20s with unknown exposure and is recovering at home.

Coronavirus Update