HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 1224 as of Tuesday evening. The death count among Reno County residents is at 51.

The Correctional Facility cluster type has just 16 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 103 active cases, and has been responsible for 19 deaths. There are 47 active clusters in the county.

Out of 4,962 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 1,204 cases in the community at large. 3,687 people have recovered thus far.

Forty Reno County residents are in the hospital. Two hundred sixteen total have been hospitalized. Seventy-six have been admitted to the ICU and 26 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.

The community's positive test rate is at 22.77%, with the overall positive test rate at 28.81%. 27.40% of the population has been tested.

The next community testing date is Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Dairy Tie Barn on the Kansas State Fairgrounds. To schedule your appointment, call 1-844-834-3657.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595202434504.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 1224 as of Tuesday evening. The death count among Reno County residents is at 51.The Correctional Facility cluster type has just 16 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 103 active cases, and has been responsible for 19 deaths. There are 47 active clusters in the county.Out of 4,962 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 1,204 cases in the community at large. 3,687 people have recovered thus far.Forty Reno County residents are in the hospital. Two hundred sixteen total have been hospitalized. Seventy-six have been admitted to the ICU and 26 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 22.77%, with the overall positive test rate at 28.81%. 27.40% of the population has been tested.The next community testing date is Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Dairy Tie Barn on the Kansas State Fairgrounds. To schedule your appointment, call 1-844-834-3657.

51 dead, 1224 total cases, 1204 cases in Reno County community as of Tuesday

By JODI FORTINO <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-12-01/coronavirus-deaths-in-missouri-top-4-000-as-hospitals-worry-about-capacity-for-rising-number-of-patients">Kansas News Service</a>

COVID-19-related deaths in Missouri hit 4,006 in updated data 
released by the state Tuesday, as officials on both sides of the state 
line worried that hospitals in rural and metropolitan areas were 
reaching capacity.

In Missouri, 19,716 new cases, including 60 deaths, were reported in the last seven days, according to <a href="https://showmestrong.mo.gov/data/public-health/" target="_blank">a public health dashboard run by the state</a>. In all, there have been nearly 303,000 total cases. In Kansas, there have been a total of 157,446 cases and 1,560 deaths, <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1529/Nov-30-case-summary?bidId=" target="_blank">according to a state website</a>.

In the nine-county Kansas City area (which encompasses both sides of the state line) 1,088 have died, according to the <a href="https://marc2.org/covidhub/" target="_blank">Kansas City Region COVID-19 Data Hub</a>.

The
 University of Kansas Health System announced at its daily briefing 
Tuesday that 101 patients have active COVID-19 cases, of which 53 are in
 the intensive care unit and 24 are on ventilators.

KU experts 
said the increase of patients in the intensive care unit was a reason 
for concern as the hospital’s capacity continues to dwindle. Around 47% 
of ICU beds in Kansas City are taken up by coronavirus patients, 
according to the <a href="https://marc2.org/covidhub/" target="_blank">Kansas City Region COVID-19 Data Hub</a>.

“In
 general, the data tells us that we're in for at least a couple of weeks
 more of challenges with the hospitalizations at this point,” said David
 Wild, KU’s vice president of performance improvement.

Wild said 
he believes the dip in the case numbers the week of Thanksgiving was 
likely a result of less people getting tested over the holiday weekend. 
The hospital tested around 1,000 over the four-day period, a number it 
normally tests in a day.

Now that people are back to work, Wild 
said lines are forming at the system’s testing centers. If case numbers 
don’t begin to decrease soon, he anticipates another lockdown will take 
place.

“I think that there's a need for further intervention for 
our community risk mitigation and whether that's a full lockdown or 
whether that's additional sort of restrictions on how we move and 
gather, especially in the places that we know by data are likely to be 
hotspots for transmission,” said Wild.

Rural counties, many of 
which still do not have mask mandates, will have a harder time accepting
 more restrictions, said Bob Moser, dean of the University of Kansas 
School of Medicine-Salina.

While the university has managed to keep case numbers down through mask-wearing and social-distancing, <a href="https://www.saline.org/Coronavirus" target="_blank">Saline County</a> jumped from five to 34 hospitalizations in just four weeks.

As
 Kansas City-area hospitals also begin to fill up, Moser said rural 
hospitals are struggling to find open rooms for critical patients. <a href="https://www.kansashealthsystem.com/about-us/community/care-collaborative" target="_blank">The University of Kansas Health System Care Collaborative</a> spent nearly eight hours this month finding an available hospital for just one patient, said Moser.

As a result, smaller hospitals are holding on to more COVID-19 patients rather than facing the challenges of transferring.

“That
 means other health conditions, chronic conditions that we deal with 
every day, may have to suffer because they don’t have the capacity for 
that. It's getting pretty critical,” said Moser.

Moser said 
another one of his biggest concerns is how rural communities will fit 
into the state’s plan to distribute vaccines. During the H1N1 crisis, 
Moser said rural counties were given very few vaccines because the state
 based area’s needs on their population size.

There is no plan yet
 for when rural areas will receive the vaccine, but KU health experts 
said it will first go to those at highest risk, first responders and 
healthcare workers.

“That's why we need more companies, because we
 know that through Operation Warp Speed, there has been a buildup of 
supply from those other companies that will help as well, if they do get
 approved. So this first batch is going to be a range, but it will be a 
small range,” said Dr. Dana Hawkinson, an infectious disease expert at 
the University of Kansas Health System.

Hawkinson said the system 
is now working with Wyandotte County on a plan to get vaccinations to 
the area’s most vulnerable populations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1606851264919.png" alt="Health experts in rural counties of Kansas said routine treatment and care is being put on hold because of the number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized. Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>Health experts in rural counties of Kansas said routine treatment and care is being put on hold because of the number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized. Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>By JODI FORTINO <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-12-01/coronavirus-deaths-in-missouri-top-4-000-as-hospitals-worry-about-capacity-for-rising-number-of-patients">Kansas News Service</a>COVID-19-related deaths in Missouri hit 4,006 in updated data 
released by the state Tuesday, as officials on both sides of the state 
line worried that hospitals in rural and metropolitan areas were 
reaching capacity.In Missouri, 19,716 new cases, including 60 deaths, were reported in the last seven days, according to <a href="https://showmestrong.mo.gov/data/public-health/" target="_blank">a public health dashboard run by the state</a>. In all, there have been nearly 303,000 total cases. In Kansas, there have been a total of 157,446 cases and 1,560 deaths, <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1529/Nov-30-case-summary?bidId=" target="_blank">according to a state website</a>. In the nine-county Kansas City area (which encompasses both sides of the state line) 1,088 have died, according to the <a href="https://marc2.org/covidhub/" target="_blank">Kansas City Region COVID-19 Data Hub</a>. The
 University of Kansas Health System announced at its daily briefing 
Tuesday that 101 patients have active COVID-19 cases, of which 53 are in
 the intensive care unit and 24 are on ventilators.KU experts 
said the increase of patients in the intensive care unit was a reason 
for concern as the hospital’s capacity continues to dwindle. Around 47% 
of ICU beds in Kansas City are taken up by coronavirus patients, 
according to the <a href="https://marc2.org/covidhub/" target="_blank">Kansas City Region COVID-19 Data Hub</a>.“In
 general, the data tells us that we're in for at least a couple of weeks
 more of challenges with the hospitalizations at this point,” said David
 Wild, KU’s vice president of performance improvement.Wild said 
he believes the dip in the case numbers the week of Thanksgiving was 
likely a result of less people getting tested over the holiday weekend. 
The hospital tested around 1,000 over the four-day period, a number it 
normally tests in a day.Now that people are back to work, Wild 
said lines are forming at the system’s testing centers. If case numbers 
don’t begin to decrease soon, he anticipates another lockdown will take 
place.“I think that there's a need for further intervention for 
our community risk mitigation and whether that's a full lockdown or 
whether that's additional sort of restrictions on how we move and 
gather, especially in the places that we know by data are likely to be 
hotspots for transmission,” said Wild.Rural counties, many of 
which still do not have mask mandates, will have a harder time accepting
 more restrictions, said Bob Moser, dean of the University of Kansas 
School of Medicine-Salina.While the university has managed to keep case numbers down through mask-wearing and social-distancing, <a href="https://www.saline.org/Coronavirus" target="_blank">Saline County</a> jumped from five to 34 hospitalizations in just four weeks.As
 Kansas City-area hospitals also begin to fill up, Moser said rural 
hospitals are struggling to find open rooms for critical patients. <a href="https://www.kansashealthsystem.com/about-us/community/care-collaborative" target="_blank">The University of Kansas Health System Care Collaborative</a> spent nearly eight hours this month finding an available hospital for just one patient, said Moser.As a result, smaller hospitals are holding on to more COVID-19 patients rather than facing the challenges of transferring.“That
 means other health conditions, chronic conditions that we deal with 
every day, may have to suffer because they don’t have the capacity for 
that. It's getting pretty critical,” said Moser.Moser said 
another one of his biggest concerns is how rural communities will fit 
into the state’s plan to distribute vaccines. During the H1N1 crisis, 
Moser said rural counties were given very few vaccines because the state
 based area’s needs on their population size.There is no plan yet
 for when rural areas will receive the vaccine, but KU health experts 
said it will first go to those at highest risk, first responders and 
healthcare workers.“That's why we need more companies, because we
 know that through Operation Warp Speed, there has been a buildup of 
supply from those other companies that will help as well, if they do get
 approved. So this first batch is going to be a range, but it will be a 
small range,” said Dr. Dana Hawkinson, an infectious disease expert at 
the University of Kansas Health System.Hawkinson said the system 
is now working with Wyandotte County on a plan to get vaccinations to 
the area’s most vulnerable populations.

Virus deaths in Missouri top 4,000 as hospitals worry about capacity


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — By most every measure, Hutchinson Regional Medical Center is nearing its capacity to treat COVID-19 patients.

"We have 9 patients on ventilators being assisted with their breathing," Chuck Welch said Tuesday. "We have 34 in the two COVID wards, for a total of 43 COVID positive patients. Over the weekend we hit 48, which is a new high water mark for us."

They have been maintaining mid to high forties in patient count for the last couple of weeks now.

"We're currently full in the ICU," Welch said. "Our primary COVID ward is nearing full and we're double occupying some rooms and then our overflow COVID ward is nearing full."

This is while they have 35 employees out sick, according to their latest ops report. Twenty-three employees are positive, 12 are on observation, 14 are awaiting results and 8 are working from home. 

"We're very nervous for the holiday season," Welch said. "I think Dr. Ashraf said it yesterday best during our meeting. He never wants to be in the position like they were in Italy or New York, where they were literally walking down the halls of sick people saying, they get a vent, he doesn't get a vent, she gets a vent, he doesn't get a vent. He never wants to be in that position. So we're pleading, imploring, begging people to just put a mask on and distance yourself."

The hospital only has twelve ventilators total, twelve BiPaPs and 10 AirVos. Welch said they can't get more right now. In addition to the 9 ventilated patients, 8 of the BiPaps and 6 of the AirVos are in use.

"This is something different," Welch said. "These folks are sicker. They are staying longer and generally, when they go on the ventilator, they don't do as well. Before, we were quick to put them on the ventilator with the idea that we could get them bridged and then they would come off and generally do pretty well. That's not the case now."

The current statistics are in ICU 12 of 12 possible staffed beds are full, on the 4400 COVID Ward that could have up to 26 patients if staff were available, they have 17 people, on the 3300 COVID overflow ward, where they have 18 staffed beds, there are 15 patients. They have 44 inpatients with only 56 possible, if they are able to find enough staff to double up. 

Normally, they would be full at 43 COVID beds, because it is not ideal to double bed COVID patients, due to their care needs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583428390224.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — By most every measure, Hutchinson Regional Medical Center is nearing its capacity to treat COVID-19 patients."We have 9 patients on ventilators being assisted with their breathing," Chuck Welch said Tuesday. "We have 34 in the two COVID wards, for a total of 43 COVID positive patients. Over the weekend we hit 48, which is a new high water mark for us."They have been maintaining mid to high forties in patient count for the last couple of weeks now."We're currently full in the ICU," Welch said. "Our primary COVID ward is nearing full and we're double occupying some rooms and then our overflow COVID ward is nearing full."This is while they have 35 employees out sick, according to their latest ops report. Twenty-three employees are positive, 12 are on observation, 14 are awaiting results and 8 are working from home. "We're very nervous for the holiday season," Welch said. "I think Dr. Ashraf said it yesterday best during our meeting. He never wants to be in the position like they were in Italy or New York, where they were literally walking down the halls of sick people saying, they get a vent, he doesn't get a vent, she gets a vent, he doesn't get a vent. He never wants to be in that position. So we're pleading, imploring, begging people to just put a mask on and distance yourself."The hospital only has twelve ventilators total, twelve BiPaPs and 10 AirVos. Welch said they can't get more right now. In addition to the 9 ventilated patients, 8 of the BiPaps and 6 of the AirVos are in use."This is something different," Welch said. "These folks are sicker. They are staying longer and generally, when they go on the ventilator, they don't do as well. Before, we were quick to put them on the ventilator with the idea that we could get them bridged and then they would come off and generally do pretty well. That's not the case now."The current statistics are in ICU 12 of 12 possible staffed beds are full, on the 4400 COVID Ward that could have up to 26 patients if staff were available, they have 17 people, on the 3300 COVID overflow ward, where they have 18 staffed beds, there are 15 patients. They have 44 inpatients with only 56 possible, if they are able to find enough staff to double up. Normally, they would be full at 43 COVID beds, because it is not ideal to double bed COVID patients, due to their care needs.

Current COVID patients quickly filling up HRMC's COVID capacity

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 1269 as of Tuesday morning. The death count among Reno County residents is at 50.

The Correctional Facility cluster type has just 17 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 80 active cases, but has been responsible for 18 deaths. There are 46 active clusters in the county.

Out of 4,947 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 1,251 cases in the community at large. 3,628 people have recovered thus far.

Fifty-four people are in the hospital. Two hundred fifteen total have been hospitalized. Seventy-four have been admitted to the ICU and 24 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.

The community's positive test rate is at 22.77%, with the overall positive test rate at 28.76%. 27.37% of the population has been tested.

The next community testing date is today from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Dairy Tie Barn on the Kansas State Fairgrounds. To schedule your appointment, call 1-844-834-3657.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595202434504.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 1269 as of Tuesday morning. The death count among Reno County residents is at 50.The Correctional Facility cluster type has just 17 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 80 active cases, but has been responsible for 18 deaths. There are 46 active clusters in the county.Out of 4,947 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 1,251 cases in the community at large. 3,628 people have recovered thus far.Fifty-four people are in the hospital. Two hundred fifteen total have been hospitalized. Seventy-four have been admitted to the ICU and 24 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 22.77%, with the overall positive test rate at 28.76%. 27.37% of the population has been tested.The next community testing date is today from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Dairy Tie Barn on the Kansas State Fairgrounds. To schedule your appointment, call 1-844-834-3657.

Fiftieth death recorded in Reno County, 1269 cases overall, 1251 in community Tuesday


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp; Due to the continued concerns of COVID-19 and an abundance of caution for the safety of our staff, listeners and advertisers, the offices of Eagle Radio in Hutchinson will be closed to all visitors until at least December 14, 2020. During this time we will be staffing with essential on-air personnel only.

Advertisers with questions are encouraged to reach out to your account representative, listeners with questions are welcome to email pat.james@eagleradio.net. We appreciate your patience during this time.

As always, we will continue to bring you the latest local and regional information on our Eagle Radio stations, Country 102.9, My 93.1 and KWBW 1450 AM and 98.5 FM, and online at hutchpost.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597346799374.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp; Due to the continued concerns of COVID-19 and an abundance of caution for the safety of our staff, listeners and advertisers, the offices of Eagle Radio in Hutchinson will be closed to all visitors until at least December 14, 2020. During this time we will be staffing with essential on-air personnel only.Advertisers with questions are encouraged to reach out to your account representative, listeners with questions are welcome to email pat.james@eagleradio.net. We appreciate your patience during this time.As always, we will continue to bring you the latest local and regional information on our Eagle Radio stations, Country 102.9, My 93.1 and KWBW 1450 AM and 98.5 FM, and online at hutchpost.com.

Eagle Radio Hutchinson offices closed to public until December 14



HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Reno County Emergency Management Director Adam Weishaar still feels okay about the amount of personal protective equipment available to those who need it, even with a large increase in cases in recent weeks.

"We're currently doing okay," Weishaar said. "We're still waiting on shipments of gowns and gloves that should be in sometime around mid to late December. Once those get in, I'll be a lot more comfortable. Since we still have an active disaster declaration in place from our Board of County Commissioners, we can still request resources from the state. Just recently, in the past two weeks, I've been putting in resource requests from them and they've fulfilled those."

Weishaar highlighted the support that the commission has given his office throughout the pandemic.

"We expected it to be here for a month or so and be gone, but here it is the end of November, start of December and we're still here and our elected officials continue to support us in that and that's huge," Weishaar said. "I know some counties, some emergency managers, some health care professionals aren't quite so lucky to have the support of their elected officials like we do here."

In counties across the state, as high as 20% of the health care professionals that work for counties are leaving, but Weishaar feels blessed that everyone seems to be working together here.

"Really, it's not stuff that we've done, it's stuff that the community has done," Weishaar said. "The Chamber of Commerce helped put together this steering committee, where it has everyone from businesses, to nonprofits to church gatherings and we did that really early and that's paid dividends for us."

Weishaar noted that it has been around 270 days since the beginning of the pandemic response in Reno County.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585131092050.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post

HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Reno County Emergency Management Director Adam Weishaar still feels okay about the amount of personal protective equipment available to those who need it, even with a large increase in cases in recent weeks."We're currently doing okay," Weishaar said. "We're still waiting on shipments of gowns and gloves that should be in sometime around mid to late December. Once those get in, I'll be a lot more comfortable. Since we still have an active disaster declaration in place from our Board of County Commissioners, we can still request resources from the state. Just recently, in the past two weeks, I've been putting in resource requests from them and they've fulfilled those."Weishaar highlighted the support that the commission has given his office throughout the pandemic."We expected it to be here for a month or so and be gone, but here it is the end of November, start of December and we're still here and our elected officials continue to support us in that and that's huge," Weishaar said. "I know some counties, some emergency managers, some health care professionals aren't quite so lucky to have the support of their elected officials like we do here."In counties across the state, as high as 20% of the health care professionals that work for counties are leaving, but Weishaar feels blessed that everyone seems to be working together here."Really, it's not stuff that we've done, it's stuff that the community has done," Weishaar said. "The Chamber of Commerce helped put together this steering committee, where it has everyone from businesses, to nonprofits to church gatherings and we did that really early and that's paid dividends for us."Weishaar noted that it has been around 270 days since the beginning of the pandemic response in Reno County.

Weishaar: Reno County still okay on PPE, working together remains key

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — January 1, 2020 was a typical winter day with the temperature hovering at 50 degrees. The first day of any year is a good time to resolve to make life better in the year ahead. Little did we know that a pandemic unlike anything we have endured in a century would upset our lives in ways we could never imagine.

To date, more than 11 million Americans have been infected with COVID-19 and approximately 250,000 have died from the virus. Kansas holds the unwanted distinction as having one of the highest infection rates in the nation.

Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System (HRHS) and its very efficient and well-trained staff of healthcare professionals are stretched to the limits in keeping up with the spike in the virus in this area. The same is true for all from the largest hospitals in Wichita to the smallest in the western regions of our state.

In our nation’s 245-year history, America has proven itself to be a global leader of innovation, so it comes as no surprise that two pharmaceutical companies have developed vaccines which are reportedly more than 90 percent effective. Kudos to Pfizer and Moderna for responding to this national healthcare crisis. Also, it’s reported that more safe vaccines are on the drawing boards.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 will not go away the day the first American is vaccinated against this virus.

Eight months into the pandemic, we are running out of time for a mid-course correction. As a high school coach admonishes a group of young athletes, “Let’s get back to basics for the long-term good of the entire team.”

The remedies to slow the spread of COVID-19 are the same as was reported at the onset of the crisis. We don’t need to make an expensive purchase. One pundit recently said, what we need is a good dose of self-discipline, which goes hand in hand with the old expression “short-term pain, long-term gain.”

Others have complained that a mandatory mask order is a violation of our freedoms, which allows us to decide what is best for ourselves. Perhaps, this is one time we Americans must pull together for the common good of all.

A few feel the nation should adopt a “Herd Immunity” or place resources in treating and saving the lives of younger Americans in lieu of caring for middle age or older citizens. At Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System, our mission is to provide all patients, regardless of age, with the same quality of compassionate care, which will always be our goal.

Our nation is blessed with tens of thousands of great scientific minds and they are close to unanimous in their advice, which is supported by the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

If you will allow me to be a little repetitive from previous columns, below are some precautions from the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO), which have proven successful in slowing the spread of COVID-19.

---Wear masks with two or more layers to stop the spread of COVId-19. Research indicates wearing masks protects those around you, and reduces the chance of infection by as much as 50 percent.

---Remain at home as much as possible and stay at least six feet from others.

---Wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.

---Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

---Clean and disinfect high touch surfaces daily.

Other tips are available on the CDC website.

The crisis has again reaffirmed what a great country we live in. Individuals and businesses have donated food to the needy. Zoom calls are now a norm for business meetings and even family reunions. Many tell about reconnecting with friends and family members they haven’t communicated with for years. This summer the Hutchinson Police and Sheriff’s department along with area churches and the Fire Department showed up at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center during shift change to say thank you to those responsible for treating COVID-19 patients.

This pandemic, like the one a century ago will have an end, and life will resume to, perhaps, a new sense of normalcy. In the meantime, let's pull together for the final stretch of what seems like a long journey, and we will all be better for it.

Let’s all strive to enjoy a happy holiday season as much as possible and hope that 2021 will be a better year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596450831912.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — January 1, 2020 was a typical winter day with the temperature hovering at 50 degrees. The first day of any year is a good time to resolve to make life better in the year ahead. Little did we know that a pandemic unlike anything we have endured in a century would upset our lives in ways we could never imagine.To date, more than 11 million Americans have been infected with COVID-19 and approximately 250,000 have died from the virus. Kansas holds the unwanted distinction as having one of the highest infection rates in the nation.Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System (HRHS) and its very efficient and well-trained staff of healthcare professionals are stretched to the limits in keeping up with the spike in the virus in this area. The same is true for all from the largest hospitals in Wichita to the smallest in the western regions of our state.In our nation’s 245-year history, America has proven itself to be a global leader of innovation, so it comes as no surprise that two pharmaceutical companies have developed vaccines which are reportedly more than 90 percent effective. Kudos to Pfizer and Moderna for responding to this national healthcare crisis. Also, it’s reported that more safe vaccines are on the drawing boards.Unfortunately, COVID-19 will not go away the day the first American is vaccinated against this virus.Eight months into the pandemic, we are running out of time for a mid-course correction. As a high school coach admonishes a group of young athletes, “Let’s get back to basics for the long-term good of the entire team.”The remedies to slow the spread of COVID-19 are the same as was reported at the onset of the crisis. We don’t need to make an expensive purchase. One pundit recently said, what we need is a good dose of self-discipline, which goes hand in hand with the old expression “short-term pain, long-term gain.”Others have complained that a mandatory mask order is a violation of our freedoms, which allows us to decide what is best for ourselves. Perhaps, this is one time we Americans must pull together for the common good of all.A few feel the nation should adopt a “Herd Immunity” or place resources in treating and saving the lives of younger Americans in lieu of caring for middle age or older citizens. At Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System, our mission is to provide all patients, regardless of age, with the same quality of compassionate care, which will always be our goal.Our nation is blessed with tens of thousands of great scientific minds and they are close to unanimous in their advice, which is supported by the Center for Disease Control (CDC).If you will allow me to be a little repetitive from previous columns, below are some precautions from the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO), which have proven successful in slowing the spread of COVID-19.---Avoid large events.---Wear masks with two or more layers to stop the spread of COVId-19. Research indicates wearing masks protects those around you, and reduces the chance of infection by as much as 50 percent.---Remain at home as much as possible and stay at least six feet from others.---Wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.---Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.---Clean and disinfect high touch surfaces daily.Other tips are available on the CDC website.The crisis has again reaffirmed what a great country we live in. Individuals and businesses have donated food to the needy. Zoom calls are now a norm for business meetings and even family reunions. Many tell about reconnecting with friends and family members they haven’t communicated with for years. This summer the Hutchinson Police and Sheriff’s department along with area churches and the Fire Department showed up at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center during shift change to say thank you to those responsible for treating COVID-19 patients.This pandemic, like the one a century ago will have an end, and life will resume to, perhaps, a new sense of normalcy. In the meantime, let's pull together for the final stretch of what seems like a long journey, and we will all be better for it.Let’s all strive to enjoy a happy holiday season as much as possible and hope that 2021 will be a better year.

COLUMN: Hutchinson Regional CEO gives update on COVID-19

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 1513 as of Sunday evening. The death count among Reno County residents is at 49.

The Correctional Facility cluster type has 190 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 86 active cases, but has been responsible for 17 deaths. There are 44 active clusters in the county.

Out of 4,827 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 1,339 cases in the community at large. 3,265 people have recovered thus far.

Forty-two people are in the hospital. Two hundred total have been hospitalized. Seventy have been admitted to the ICU and 24 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.

The community's positive test rate is at 21.62%, with the overall positive test rate at 28.26%. 27.17% of the population has been tested.

The next community testing date is Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The site has changed for December to the Dairy Tie Barn on the Kansas State Fairgrounds. To schedule your appointment, call 1-844-834-3657.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595202434504.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 1513 as of Sunday evening. The death count among Reno County residents is at 49.The Correctional Facility cluster type has 190 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 86 active cases, but has been responsible for 17 deaths. There are 44 active clusters in the county.Out of 4,827 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 1,339 cases in the community at large. 3,265 people have recovered thus far.Forty-two people are in the hospital. Two hundred total have been hospitalized. Seventy have been admitted to the ICU and 24 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 21.62%, with the overall positive test rate at 28.26%. 27.17% of the population has been tested.The next community testing date is Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The site has changed for December to the Dairy Tie Barn on the Kansas State Fairgrounds. To schedule your appointment, call 1-844-834-3657.

Case count at 1513, with 1339 in community as of Sunday evening

HOLTON, KAN. (AP) —&nbsp;Small rural hospitals in&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;and&nbsp;Missouri&nbsp;are increasingly spending hours searching for facilities they can transfer patients to because they are struggling to cope with the surge in coronavirus cases.

As the region's hospitals fill up with COVID-19 patients, smaller hospitals like the one in Holton, Kansas, are finding it difficult to treat patients who don't have the disease but still need care.

“People don’t just stop having heart attacks or those sorts of things,” said Carrie Saia, CEO of the hospital in Holton, which is about 30 miles north of Topeka, Kansas. “I just worry that we’re going to be so consumed that we’re not really able to care for some emergency that comes in.”

The urban and rural health care systems in Missouri and Kansas are intertwined, with smaller hospitals identifying which patients need more advanced care and transferring them to larger facilities in bigger cities, the Kansas City Star reported. But lately, smaller hospitals have been spending hours searching for beds for their patients in larger facilities in places such as Wichita, Kansas City, St. Louis and Springfield, Missouri.

When COVID-19 patients stress the capacity of smaller hospitals, it makes it harder to care for patients with heart attacks, strokes or other serious conditions.

“Those patients, when they come through our doors, honestly that’s a little more scary than COVID,” said Valarie Davis who is the administrator of Mercy’s smaller hospitals in Cassville and Aurora, Missouri. “We have to get them somewhere as quick as we possibly can.”

And rural hospital administrators increasingly worry about how the surge in patients is affecting their nurses and doctors.

“I’ve had one of the nurses literally break down right in front of me because of her concern for one of the patients, which is a wonderful thing but it takes a toll on the staff,” said Dennis Franks, CEO of the 25-bed Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute, Kansas. “They’re working a lot.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606685988313.png" alt="Holton Community Hospital is 30 miles north of Topeka" />
 <figcaption>Holton Community Hospital is 30 miles north of Topeka</figcaption>
 </figure>HOLTON, KAN. (AP) —&nbsp;Small rural hospitals in&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;and&nbsp;Missouri&nbsp;are increasingly spending hours searching for facilities they can transfer patients to because they are struggling to cope with the surge in coronavirus cases.As the region's hospitals fill up with COVID-19 patients, smaller hospitals like the one in Holton, Kansas, are finding it difficult to treat patients who don't have the disease but still need care.“People don’t just stop having heart attacks or those sorts of things,” said Carrie Saia, CEO of the hospital in Holton, which is about 30 miles north of Topeka, Kansas. “I just worry that we’re going to be so consumed that we’re not really able to care for some emergency that comes in.”The urban and rural health care systems in Missouri and Kansas are intertwined, with smaller hospitals identifying which patients need more advanced care and transferring them to larger facilities in bigger cities, the Kansas City Star reported. But lately, smaller hospitals have been spending hours searching for beds for their patients in larger facilities in places such as Wichita, Kansas City, St. Louis and Springfield, Missouri.When COVID-19 patients stress the capacity of smaller hospitals, it makes it harder to care for patients with heart attacks, strokes or other serious conditions.“Those patients, when they come through our doors, honestly that’s a little more scary than COVID,” said Valarie Davis who is the administrator of Mercy’s smaller hospitals in Cassville and Aurora, Missouri. “We have to get them somewhere as quick as we possibly can.”And rural hospital administrators increasingly worry about how the surge in patients is affecting their nurses and doctors.“I’ve had one of the nurses literally break down right in front of me because of her concern for one of the patients, which is a wonderful thing but it takes a toll on the staff,” said Dennis Franks, CEO of the 25-bed Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute, Kansas. “They’re working a lot.”

Surge in virus cases stresses rural hospitals across Kansas

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 1417 as of Saturday evening. The death count among Reno County residents is at 49.

Out of 4,726 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 1,243 cases in the community at large. 3,260 people have recovered thus far.

The community's positive test rate is at 21.62%, with the overall positive test rate at 28.03%. 26.83% of the population has been tested.

The next community testing date is next Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Oz Breezeway on the Kansas State Fairgrounds. To schedule your appointment, call 1-844-834-3657.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595202434504.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 1417 as of Saturday evening. The death count among Reno County residents is at 49.The Correctional Facility cluster type has 190 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 86 active cases, but has been responsible for 17 deaths. There are 44 active clusters in the county.Out of 4,726 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 1,243 cases in the community at large. 3,260 people have recovered thus far.Forty-two people are in the hospital. Two hundred total have been hospitalized. Seventy have been admitted to the ICU and 24 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 21.62%, with the overall positive test rate at 28.03%. 26.83% of the population has been tested.The next community testing date is next Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Oz Breezeway on the Kansas State Fairgrounds. To schedule your appointment, call 1-844-834-3657.

Case count in Reno County is 1417, with 1243 in community as of Saturday evening

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 1376 as of Friday evening. The death count among Reno County residents is at 48.

The Correctional Facility cluster type has 192 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 87 active cases, but has been responsible for 16 deaths. There are 44 active clusters in the county.

Out of 4,656 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 1,201 cases in the community at large. 3,232 people have recovered thus far.

The community's positive test rate is at 21.62%, with the overall positive test rate at 27.90%. 26.55% of the population has been tested.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595202434504.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 1376 as of Friday evening. The death count among Reno County residents is at 48.The Correctional Facility cluster type has 192 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 87 active cases, but has been responsible for 16 deaths. There are 44 active clusters in the county.Out of 4,656 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 1,201 cases in the community at large. 3,232 people have recovered thus far.Forty-two people are in the hospital. Two hundred total have been hospitalized. Seventy have been admitted to the ICU and 24 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 21.62%, with the overall positive test rate at 27.90%. 26.55% of the population has been tested.The next community testing date is next Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Oz Breezeway on the Kansas State Fairgrounds. To schedule your appointment, call 1-844-834-3657.

Case count at 1376, with 1201 in community as of Friday evening

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Due to a report to Buhler USD 313 Superintendent Cindy Couchman of six cases of COVID-19 among staff at Union Valley Elementary, with two others with tests pending,&nbsp; that single attendance center will be going to the flex learning model beginning Monday, November 30 through Friday, December 11.

The plan is to return to in person learning on Monday, December 14th.

USD 313 administration will host a Zoom parent meeting Sunday afternoon at 5:00 p.m.  Parents and guardians of all Union Valley students will receive an email from the school with the Zoom link to join the meeting.  For any parents or guardians unable to join the Zoom meeting,  it will be recorded and emailed out after the meeting.

Lunches and Breakfasts are still available for drive through pickup at Union Valley from 11:30-12:30 daily. Please sign up by Monday morning at 7:30 using <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fforms.gle%2FopPYEfRLFUpzfc877%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3MYqdM2FsnwnFKC1O3KQxoJM9TCsm0Y3vdqM3aL_jLse9_IIlwwAAUyr0&amp;h=AT0T8Fs4rbWOBgQjlwf6WPO7N1v_UuVEvrmz1oavAKeZVyFQQewuHxEmss6FdEREzPdMTM638ftWLACtrdNAs0Rc6Ubtg-CVDmmx6nwroAlrgcr5FT0r6BYqi_WeV6gv-Q&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT1XuxQjJPUGLQU2cTVqteBhCuB1UG7Cb2oExM_tQdEw9fZ1xZgroD5VhnvBYR1NrbvPP0HMwLUuhx5ZkGJzZ84jPEZjZgLXyXCo6imM36A9uOTA43D8lwxeMIbzqEMRnnVLwvA-X9omBnDNdc8DazmFAMjgYrQ8xVo0Tynzy45WdVM">this link</a>.

Monday:  Turkey Sandwich, Salad, Fruit, Milk

Tuesday:  Pizza, Baby Carrots, Fruit, Milk

Wednesday:  Corn Dog, Cucumbers, Fruit, Milk

Thursday:  Steak Sandwich, Broccoli, Fruit, Milk

Friday:  Chicken Nuggets, Cauliflower w/dip, Fruit, Milk

Breakfasts will be assorted grains (cereal, pop tart, honey bun, donut, or bagel, etc.) with Fruit or Juice, and Milk.

Please follow the USD 313 Buhler Facebook page or the Union Valley Elementary  Facebook page to monitor updates and further information as it becomes available. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584543839140.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Due to a report to Buhler USD 313 Superintendent Cindy Couchman of six cases of COVID-19 among staff at Union Valley Elementary, with two others with tests pending,&nbsp; that single attendance center will be going to the flex learning model beginning Monday, November 30 through Friday, December 11.The plan is to return to in person learning on Monday, December 14th.USD 313 administration will host a Zoom parent meeting Sunday afternoon at 5:00 p.m. Parents and guardians of all Union Valley students will receive an email from the school with the Zoom link to join the meeting. For any parents or guardians unable to join the Zoom meeting, it will be recorded and emailed out after the meeting.Lunches and Breakfasts are still available for drive through pickup at Union Valley from 11:30-12:30 daily. Please sign up by Monday morning at 7:30 using <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fforms.gle%2FopPYEfRLFUpzfc877%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3MYqdM2FsnwnFKC1O3KQxoJM9TCsm0Y3vdqM3aL_jLse9_IIlwwAAUyr0&amp;h=AT0T8Fs4rbWOBgQjlwf6WPO7N1v_UuVEvrmz1oavAKeZVyFQQewuHxEmss6FdEREzPdMTM638ftWLACtrdNAs0Rc6Ubtg-CVDmmx6nwroAlrgcr5FT0r6BYqi_WeV6gv-Q&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT1XuxQjJPUGLQU2cTVqteBhCuB1UG7Cb2oExM_tQdEw9fZ1xZgroD5VhnvBYR1NrbvPP0HMwLUuhx5ZkGJzZ84jPEZjZgLXyXCo6imM36A9uOTA43D8lwxeMIbzqEMRnnVLwvA-X9omBnDNdc8DazmFAMjgYrQ8xVo0Tynzy45WdVM">this link</a>.Menu:Monday: Turkey Sandwich, Salad, Fruit, MilkTuesday: Pizza, Baby Carrots, Fruit, MilkWednesday: Corn Dog, Cucumbers, Fruit, MilkThursday: Steak Sandwich, Broccoli, Fruit, MilkFriday: Chicken Nuggets, Cauliflower w/dip, Fruit, MilkBreakfasts will be assorted grains (cereal, pop tart, honey bun, donut, or bagel, etc.) with Fruit or Juice, and Milk.Please follow the USD 313 Buhler Facebook page or the Union Valley Elementary Facebook page to monitor updates and further information as it becomes available.

Union Valley Elementary to go to flex learning beginning Monday


PRETTY PRAIRIE — Pretty Prairie schools will be going to remote learning after the holiday break. 

According to a Friday Facebook post from the district, as of that date, there are 10 positive cases involving students and staff.  The district says they are waiting on numerous test results for students and staff as well, with over 80 students in quarantine.  

Because of those numbers, USD 311 will be moving to remote learning for the next three weeks and plan to return to on site and in person instruction on January 5, 2021. 

The district says, "We realize remote learning is not the preferred choice of educational delivery for the majority of our families, but after consulting with the Reno County Health Department, we feel this is the safest method at this point for our students and staff."  

The district will be sending information and materials home to families.  On Monday, drivers and staff members will deliver materials home.  Teachers will be in contact with students on Monday.  Activities will follow KSHSAA guidelines.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598374070179.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
PRETTY PRAIRIE — Pretty Prairie schools will be going to remote learning after the holiday break. According to a Friday Facebook post from the district, as of that date, there are 10 positive cases involving students and staff. The district says they are waiting on numerous test results for students and staff as well, with over 80 students in quarantine. Because of those numbers, USD 311 will be moving to remote learning for the next three weeks and plan to return to on site and in person instruction on January 5, 2021. The district says, "We realize remote learning is not the preferred choice of educational delivery for the majority of our families, but after consulting with the Reno County Health Department, we feel this is the safest method at this point for our students and staff." The district will be sending information and materials home to families. On Monday, drivers and staff members will deliver materials home. Teachers will be in contact with students on Monday. Activities will follow KSHSAA guidelines.

USD 311 dealing with large number of COVID cases, will go remote

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 1278 as of Thursday evening. The death count among Reno County residents is at 47.

The Correctional Facility cluster type has 190 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 85 active cases, but has been responsible for 15 deaths. There are 44 active clusters in the county.

Out of 4,549 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 1,105 cases in the community at large. 3,224 people have recovered thus far.

Forty-five people are in the hospital. One hundred ninety-three total have been hospitalized. Sixty-six have been admitted to the ICU and 22 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.

The community's positive test rate is up to 19.95%, with the overall positive test rate at 27.54%. 26.28% of the population has been tested.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595202434504.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 1278 as of Thursday evening. The death count among Reno County residents is at 47.The Correctional Facility cluster type has 190 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 85 active cases, but has been responsible for 15 deaths. There are 44 active clusters in the county.Out of 4,549 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 1,105 cases in the community at large. 3,224 people have recovered thus far.Forty-five people are in the hospital. One hundred ninety-three total have been hospitalized. Sixty-six have been admitted to the ICU and 22 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is up to 19.95%, with the overall positive test rate at 27.54%. 26.28% of the population has been tested.The next community testing date is next Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Oz Breezeway on the Kansas State Fairgrounds. To schedule your appointment, call 1-844-834-3657.

Case count at 1278, with 1105 in community as of Thursday evening


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Dr. Scott Pauly with the Hutchinson Clinic had hoped earlier in the pandemic to catch asymptomatic patients through widespread community testing, but at this point, there is much more of a danger of presymptomatic spread within the community.

"The presymptomatic patients, meaning those who have already been exposed, but do not yet know they are infected, meaning they don't have symptoms as of yet, are likely the primary drivers of the transmission in the community at this time," Pauly said. 

The danger is, with as widespread as the disease is now, you're likely to have been exposed and not know it.

"Because they're presymptomatic, they're going about their daily business, maybe celebrating the holidays," Pauly said. "Unbeknownst to them, they're spreading that virus to their friends, family and colleagues. Once they do develop symptoms, you look backwards and say, where was I, who did I expose myself to, prior to me realizing I was infected."

That's one of the reasons why you would wear a mask in public, so that if you are an unknown spreader, you can minimize that effect.

"When somebody's presymptomatic, they're not necessarily cognizant of where they are going or who they are around," Pauly said. "Those things are easy to forget in the moment. It also highlights why it's so important, though, for contact tracing for this virus. When we do have somebody who becomes diagnosed, we look backwards 48 hours prior to their diagnosis and or prior to their symptoms, because we know that the people they were around during that time are just as at risk as the people they were around at the time of symptom onset or shortly thereafter."

According to the Reno County COVID-19 dashboard, as of Wednesday at 11:44 a.m., there were 1,022 active cases of COVID-19 in the community.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1601667424562.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Dr. Scott Pauly with the Hutchinson Clinic had hoped earlier in the pandemic to catch asymptomatic patients through widespread community testing, but at this point, there is much more of a danger of presymptomatic spread within the community."The presymptomatic patients, meaning those who have already been exposed, but do not yet know they are infected, meaning they don't have symptoms as of yet, are likely the primary drivers of the transmission in the community at this time," Pauly said. The danger is, with as widespread as the disease is now, you're likely to have been exposed and not know it."Because they're presymptomatic, they're going about their daily business, maybe celebrating the holidays," Pauly said. "Unbeknownst to them, they're spreading that virus to their friends, family and colleagues. Once they do develop symptoms, you look backwards and say, where was I, who did I expose myself to, prior to me realizing I was infected."That's one of the reasons why you would wear a mask in public, so that if you are an unknown spreader, you can minimize that effect."When somebody's presymptomatic, they're not necessarily cognizant of where they are going or who they are around," Pauly said. "Those things are easy to forget in the moment. It also highlights why it's so important, though, for contact tracing for this virus. When we do have somebody who becomes diagnosed, we look backwards 48 hours prior to their diagnosis and or prior to their symptoms, because we know that the people they were around during that time are just as at risk as the people they were around at the time of symptom onset or shortly thereafter."According to the Reno County COVID-19 dashboard, as of Wednesday at 11:44 a.m., there were 1,022 active cases of COVID-19 in the community.

Hutchinson doctor sees potential for presymptomatic COVID-19 spread

BEIJING (AP) — China says it has detected the coronavirus on packages of imported frozen food, but how valid are its claims and how serious is the threat to public health?

Frozen shrimp imported from an Ecuadorian company was banned for one week on Tuesday in a continuing series of such temporary bans.

While experts say the virus can survive for a time on cardboard and plastic containers, it remains unclear how serious a risk that poses. Like so many issues surrounding the pandemic, the matter has swiftly become politicized.

China has rejected complaints from the U.S. and others, saying it is putting people’s lives first. Experts say they generally don’t consider the presence of the virus on packaging to be a significant health risk.

A look at the issue and some of the conclusions so far:

Packaging first became a major issue with outbreaks in China linked to wholesale food markets, including one in June on the outskirts of Beijing. That prompted the removal of smoked salmon from supermarket shelves and has snowballed into multiple cases nationwide involving chicken, beef and seafood from nearly two dozen countries. At some supermarkets, imported meat now comes with a sticker declaring it to be virus-free.

Infections among freight handlers have also placed suspicion on packaging. Person-to-person transmission hasn’t been ruled out, however, and China has yet to release evidence that packaging was indeed the route of infection.

Trading partners, including the U.S., New Zealand, Canada and the EU, say they’re unclear on China’s methodology and have seen no solid evidence that their products carried the virus. The U.S. has questioned whether China’s crackdown is scientifically based and suggested the bans may amount to an unfair trade barrier.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian called the U.S. accusations “totally groundless and unreasonable.” China’s measures are “necessary following the spirit of putting people’s lives first and protecting people’s health,” he said last week.

In a statement to The Associated Press, the World Health Organization said cases of live viruses being found on packaging appear to be “rare and isolated.” While the virus can “survive a long time under cold storage conditions,” there is no evidence of people contracting COVID-19 from consuming food, it said.

The virus SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 is overwhelmingly transmitted through respiratory droplets and smaller sized particles passed through the air, underscoring the importance of mask-wearing.

Yet the virus can also be present on surfaces, and public health officials have urged people to wash their hands carefully and avoid physical contact with others. In general, the colder and dryer that conditions are, the longer the virus can survive on surfaces.

Wiping down countertops, handrails and other surfaces is a common way to ensure safety. Some people have also gone to the extreme of disinfecting packages brought into their homes, both by themselves or by delivery services.

Virus traces found on packaging can be infectious or non-infectious. The extremely sensitive tests being used can detect both active viruses and their remnants, without being able to distinguish between them, said Timothy Newsome, a virologist at the University of Sydney.

“It is possible and may represent some risk, but it’s certainly at the lower end of risk for transmission,” he said. “We know low temperatures do stabilize the virus. Nonetheless, I think things which have been transported and surface transmission — there’s a low risk of it.”

A positive test “doesn’t indicate infectious virus, just that some signal from the virus is present on that surface,” said Andrew Pekosz of Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health.

“I’ve seen no convincing data that SARS-CoV-2 on food packaging poses a significant risk for infection,” he said.

BEIJING (AP) — China says it has detected the coronavirus on packages of imported frozen food, but how valid are its claims and how serious is the threat to public health?Frozen shrimp imported from an Ecuadorian company was banned for one week on Tuesday in a continuing series of such temporary bans.While experts say the virus can survive for a time on cardboard and plastic containers, it remains unclear how serious a risk that poses. Like so many issues surrounding the pandemic, the matter has swiftly become politicized.China has rejected complaints from the U.S. and others, saying it is putting people’s lives first. Experts say they generally don’t consider the presence of the virus on packaging to be a significant health risk.A look at the issue and some of the conclusions so far:CHINA’S CRACKDOWNPackaging first became a major issue with outbreaks in China linked to wholesale food markets, including one in June on the outskirts of Beijing. That prompted the removal of smoked salmon from supermarket shelves and has snowballed into multiple cases nationwide involving chicken, beef and seafood from nearly two dozen countries. At some supermarkets, imported meat now comes with a sticker declaring it to be virus-free.Infections among freight handlers have also placed suspicion on packaging. Person-to-person transmission hasn’t been ruled out, however, and China has yet to release evidence that packaging was indeed the route of infection.OVERSEAS COMPLAINTSTrading partners, including the U.S., New Zealand, Canada and the EU, say they’re unclear on China’s methodology and have seen no solid evidence that their products carried the virus. The U.S. has questioned whether China’s crackdown is scientifically based and suggested the bans may amount to an unfair trade barrier.Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian called the U.S. accusations “totally groundless and unreasonable.” China’s measures are “necessary following the spirit of putting people’s lives first and protecting people’s health,” he said last week.In a statement to The Associated Press, the World Health Organization said cases of live viruses being found on packaging appear to be “rare and isolated.” While the virus can “survive a long time under cold storage conditions,” there is no evidence of people contracting COVID-19 from consuming food, it said.SURFACE TRANSMISSIONThe virus SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 is overwhelmingly transmitted through respiratory droplets and smaller sized particles passed through the air, underscoring the importance of mask-wearing.Yet the virus can also be present on surfaces, and public health officials have urged people to wash their hands carefully and avoid physical contact with others. In general, the colder and dryer that conditions are, the longer the virus can survive on surfaces.Wiping down countertops, handrails and other surfaces is a common way to ensure safety. Some people have also gone to the extreme of disinfecting packages brought into their homes, both by themselves or by delivery services.WHAT EXPERTS SAYVirus traces found on packaging can be infectious or non-infectious. The extremely sensitive tests being used can detect both active viruses and their remnants, without being able to distinguish between them, said Timothy Newsome, a virologist at the University of Sydney.“It is possible and may represent some risk, but it’s certainly at the lower end of risk for transmission,” he said. “We know low temperatures do stabilize the virus. Nonetheless, I think things which have been transported and surface transmission — there’s a low risk of it.”A positive test “doesn’t indicate infectious virus, just that some signal from the virus is present on that surface,” said Andrew Pekosz of Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health.“I’ve seen no convincing data that SARS-CoV-2 on food packaging poses a significant risk for infection,” he said.___

China claims coronavirus found on frozen foods

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 1066 as of Tuesday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 46.

The Correctional Facility cluster type has 182 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 68 active cases, but has been responsible for 14 deaths. There are 43 active clusters in the county.

There are 901 cases in the community at large.

Twenty-nine people are in the hospital. One hundred seventy-eight total have been hospitalized. Sixty-six have been admitted to the ICU and 22 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.

The community's positive test rate is up to 19.95%, with the overall positive test rate at 26.64%. 25.57% of the population has been tested.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595202434504.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 1066 as of Tuesday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 46.The Correctional Facility cluster type has 182 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 68 active cases, but has been responsible for 14 deaths. There are 43 active clusters in the county.There are 901 cases in the community at large.Twenty-nine people are in the hospital. One hundred seventy-eight total have been hospitalized. Sixty-six have been admitted to the ICU and 22 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is up to 19.95%, with the overall positive test rate at 26.64%. 25.57% of the population has been tested.The next community testing date is next Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Oz Breezeway on the Kansas State Fairgrounds. To schedule your appointment, call 1-844-834-3657.

Case count at 1066, with 901 in community as of Tuesday evening


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
There was serious discussion over how to distribute the remaining CARES funding at the Board of Reno County Commissioners meeting Tuesday. County Commissioner Dr. Mark Steffen wanted to be sure that smaller entities that need the money most are able to get it.

"I want to feel confident that we are using those dollars to keep as many entities afloat as possible," Steffen said. 

The big number among the latest round of CARES allocations was due to go to the Cosmosphere. It was originally supposed to be an additional $200,000, but County Commission chair Ron Sellers wanted to be sure all the entities got what they could while they could still use it and to be sure to use up all that the county was entitled to and not leave money on the table.

"Approve $150,000 for the Cosmosphere and put that $50,000 down to the nonprofits, because there's 27 of them and give that $164,329 to the nonprofits via the percentage that they received before."

The State Fair will have $45,918 eligible for reimbursement for wages. The Fairgrounds Foundation will get an additional $77,670. BrightHouse will get $7000.

"The nonprofits were very appreciative of this opportunity to receive money and it's helped a lot of them," Meagher said. "I can't say it has made them 100%, but I can tell you that we've had a lot of appreciation expressed."

This is all reimbursement funds for qualified losses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606245627261.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
There was serious discussion over how to distribute the remaining CARES funding at the Board of Reno County Commissioners meeting Tuesday. County Commissioner Dr. Mark Steffen wanted to be sure that smaller entities that need the money most are able to get it."I want to feel confident that we are using those dollars to keep as many entities afloat as possible," Steffen said. The big number among the latest round of CARES allocations was due to go to the Cosmosphere. It was originally supposed to be an additional $200,000, but County Commission chair Ron Sellers wanted to be sure all the entities got what they could while they could still use it and to be sure to use up all that the county was entitled to and not leave money on the table."Approve $150,000 for the Cosmosphere and put that $50,000 down to the nonprofits, because there's 27 of them and give that $164,329 to the nonprofits via the percentage that they received before."The State Fair will have $45,918 eligible for reimbursement for wages. The Fairgrounds Foundation will get an additional $77,670. BrightHouse will get $7000."The nonprofits were very appreciative of this opportunity to receive money and it's helped a lot of them," Meagher said. "I can't say it has made them 100%, but I can tell you that we've had a lot of appreciation expressed."This is all reimbursement funds for qualified losses.

Reno County Commission distributes CARES funding Tuesday

UPDATE: Due to the rainy weather, Tuesday's site has been changed to the DairyLand Building.


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Headed into the Tuesday November 24 testing date at the Oz Breezeway on the Kansas State Fairgrounds, nearly 2,000 people have already been tested through the county's free testing program.

A total of 1,983 tests have been administered on 14 testing dates thus far, the date on the 24th will be the 15th opportunity. The largest single testing date was this past Saturday at the Fairgrounds. 

Three hundred thirteen samples were collected this past weekend.

Testing will take place on Tuesdays at the fairgrounds for the rest of the year and on Saturdays on December 5 and December 19.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606242242524.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>UPDATE: Due to the rainy weather, Tuesday's site has been changed to the DairyLand Building.
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Headed into the Tuesday November 24 testing date at the Oz Breezeway on the Kansas State Fairgrounds, nearly 2,000 people have already been tested through the county's free testing program.A total of 1,983 tests have been administered on 14 testing dates thus far, the date on the 24th will be the 15th opportunity. The largest single testing date was this past Saturday at the Fairgrounds. Three hundred thirteen samples were collected this past weekend.Testing will take place on Tuesdays at the fairgrounds for the rest of the year and on Saturdays on December 5 and December 19.

Nearly 2,000 people have taken advantage of county tests


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Reno County Interim Health Officer Karen Hammersmith reiterated the message calling for no large gatherings for the Thanksgiving holiday.

"Thanksgiving this year really should look different," Hammersmith said. "When we talk about keeping in small cohorts, it is because we always know that in times like this, holidays, people travel. They want to be with their family. You know, you have the sniffles or something. You don't feel too bad. This year, that could be COVID."

After the holidays is usually a problem even with less contagious illnesses like the flu.

Most viruses, whether it be cold or flu season, it's the weeks after Thanksgiving and Christmas that really spike things up and turn things around," Hammersmith said. "Not in a good way."

"Anytime that you have family gatherings, it's a very close situation, very personal," Hammersmith said. "People are generally speaking, hugging, sitting in the same room for many hours. You feel very comfortable and safe in family and close friends enviroments. It doesn't mean that the family and friends are not safe people. It's just that right now, anybody could be carrying the virus."

The 14-day positive test rate used by the schools for their gating criteria is at 46.5%, which is the highest it has been throughout the pandemic.

<figure>
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 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Reno County Interim Health Officer Karen Hammersmith reiterated the message calling for no large gatherings for the Thanksgiving holiday."Thanksgiving this year really should look different," Hammersmith said. "When we talk about keeping in small cohorts, it is because we always know that in times like this, holidays, people travel. They want to be with their family. You know, you have the sniffles or something. You don't feel too bad. This year, that could be COVID."After the holidays is usually a problem even with less contagious illnesses like the flu.Most viruses, whether it be cold or flu season, it's the weeks after Thanksgiving and Christmas that really spike things up and turn things around," Hammersmith said. "Not in a good way."If you are sick, stay at home."Anytime that you have family gatherings, it's a very close situation, very personal," Hammersmith said. "People are generally speaking, hugging, sitting in the same room for many hours. You feel very comfortable and safe in family and close friends enviroments. It doesn't mean that the family and friends are not safe people. It's just that right now, anybody could be carrying the virus."The 14-day positive test rate used by the schools for their gating criteria is at 46.5%, which is the highest it has been throughout the pandemic.

Coronavirus Update