By KYLE McCASKEY
Harvey County Public Information Officer
NEWTON, Kan. — A Harvey County woman who recently died of leukemia has been confirmed as the fifth presumptive-positive case of coronavirus, or COVID-19, in Harvey County.
The confirmed case is a woman in her 30s. The woman died April 9. While she tested presumptive-positive for COVID-19 in the days before her death, acute leukemia was defined as her cause of death. The woman had been hospitalized at an out-of-county medical facility. Testing was completed by a private lab. The Health Department has completed follow-up on all contacts.
“We are again saddened by the loss of another community member, though this time not related to COVID-19. Our thoughts are with this Harvey County resident’s friends and family,” Harvey County Health Department Director Lynnette Redington said.
As of today, the KDHE has confirmed 1,494 cases of COVID-19 in Kansas, including 76 deaths. Harvey County has now had five confirmed cases of COVID-19. Of Harvey County’s five confirmed cases, three individuals have recovered. Harvey County reported its first confirmed case March 26.
The KDHE has also classified two Harvey County cases as probable for COVID-19, including one death. The cases are probable because they met clinical criteria with a presumptive-positive lab test for blood work, but were negative in testing for an active COVID-19 virus. The KDHE has not included probable cases in its confirmed statistics at this time. The two deaths in Harvey County are not related.