Coronavirus cases continue to rise in Osage County, while the state of Kansas has been designated a hot spot for the disease in U.S. In July, the county has recorded more positive cases than in the previous months of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The steady rise in the known positive cases in Osage County comes after county commissioners formally rejected Governor Laura Kelly’s pandemic guidance and reopened the county on July 3, and after the county had some relief during a two-week period, June 9 to June 25, with no confirmed cases.
On July 1, 2020, Kansas Department of Health and Environment records show that Osage County had 15 total known cases since the pandemic began. The latest report from KDHE, dated July 16, shows Osage County now has had 33 total positive, averaging a little more than one new case per day during July.
OCHD reported on social media July 16 that two new confirmed positive cases brought the current active cases in the county to nine people. On that day, 36 people were under quarantine in the county. The county health department reports that 1,038 negative test results have been recorded in the county since testing began.
On July 2, Kelly ordered Kansans to wear masks when inside any public space or in situations where social distancing of six feet cannot be maintained. County commissioners had the option to adopt the measures, modify the measures or reject them. That afternoon, Osage County Commissioners held a special meeting and voted to exempt Osage County from the governor’s order.
OCHD reported the latest known positive cases were a person residing in the north part of the county and another in the south part of the county.
Last week, a document prepared for the White House Coronavirus Task Force was obtained by national media, which reported that 18 states were named in the report as “red zones,” including Kansas.
See related stories:
COVID-19 update: New infections continue in Osage County
Osage County ‘reopens’ as COVID-19 cases rise
See Osage County News COVID-19 coverage.
