By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Wednesday's report from the Reno County COVID-19 dashboard puts cases at 501, which is a little bit below county analyst D.J. Gering's median projection for growth from about two weeks ago, but still is the first time the county has been over 500 cases since January 10.
Governor Laura Kelly acknowledged when visiting Hutchinson Wednesday that the case numbers are higher than 2020, when there was not a state fair.
"It is a concern," Kelly said. "The state has a number of booths and other things that are set up at the fair. We'll be working with our own staff and the vendors so that, at least indoors, masks will be required to protect them and we will strongly encourage the public and we will provide masks for them, before they enter into any of the enclosed buildings."
The case number on September 1 of 2020 was 130.
Cindy Couchman with Buhler USD 313 told Hutch Post this week that case levels within her school buildings are about on par with what they were in October of last year.
With all that said, the disease has been far less lethal lately, with just one death reported in all of August in Reno County and just six since April 30.
A new positive test rate number is generally released on Thursdays.