TOPEKA, Kan. – FEMA has delivered Kansas’ portion of the Strategic National Stockpile and the Kansas Division of Emergency Management will coordinate distribution of these critical resources to all 105 counties beginning this weekend to help communities respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Strategic National Stockpile is the nation’s largest supply of potentially life-saving pharmaceuticals and medical supplies for use in a public health emergency severe enough to cause local supplies to run out.

The equipment included in the stockpile are: N95 masks, surgical masks, face shields, surgical gowns, and gloves.

The Kansas National Guard and the Kansas Wing of the Civil Air Patrol will distribute these materials throughout the state based on each county’s population. Hospitals and local jurisdictions are encouraged to continue to work with their vendors and order needed supplies.

“We know more supplies will be needed and we are aggressively seeking vendors nationwide and have established contracts for more personal protective equipment,” said Angee Morgan, alternate Governor’s authorized representative, Kansas Division of Emergency Management. “This is a combined response effort between federal, state and local jurisdictions and we appreciate everything local leaders and communities are doing.”

There are many ways people can contribute to these efforts, including: Purchase only what is needed for your household and please do not stockpile supplies; there is an urgent need for blood. Go to http://www.savealifenow.org/ to sign up to donate blood; follow local, county and state response guidelines.

TOPEKA, Kan. – People who attended the Kansas East Jurisdiction’s 2020 Ministers and Workers Conference at the Miracle Temple Church of God in Christ located at 2106 Quindaro Blvd, Kansas City, KS, 66104 from March 16-22, may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This event has been identified as a place of exposure for multiple people in Kansas who have since become ill and tested positive for COVID-19.

Anyone who attended this event and developed symptoms consistent with COVID-19 between 2 and 14 days later is asked to call their local health department.

Symptoms for COVID-19 appear 2-14 days after exposure and include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Other rarer symptoms that may develop include malaise, sore throat and diarrhea.

If you develop any of these symptoms, but are not ill enough to seek medical care, you must stay home for at least 7 days after symptom started or for 72 hours after fever is gone (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and with a significant improvement in symptoms, whichever is longer.

If you develop these symptoms and need to seek medical care, call your healthcare provider beforehand to inform them that you may have been exposed to COVID-19 and require medical attention.

TOPEKA, Kan. – Kansas Department of Corrections Secretary Jeff Zmuda announced today that three staff members working at Lansing Correctional Facility tested positive for COVID-19. These are the first positive cases within a KDOC facility.

The cases include a male over the age of 20 and two females over the age of 40. In order to protect the identity of these staff, no other information will be released.

KDOC has been in consultation with officials from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment on next steps to address these circumstances. As a result of that consultation with KDHE, the following steps are being implemented immediately:

A medical investigation to ascertain who among staff and residents have been in close contact with these staff.

Notifying those persons that they have had contact with a COVID-19 confirmed case.

Moving those residents who have had close contact to medical isolation where they will be monitored for symptoms.

Remaining diligent in monitoring other staff and residents for symptoms.

“With a virus that moves and changes as quickly as the coronavirus we anticipated that this day may come,” Zmuda said. “With the support and guidance of KDHE and Governor Kelly, and the hard work of our staff members, we are ready to care for our residents and those we serve in the community.”

Due to the KSRE COVID-19 Response Protocol, all Frontier Extension District offices are temporarily closed, and all face-to-face events have been cancelled or postponed until May 16, 2020. However, all district employees are still working via telecommunication and are available to respond to requests.

Phone calls to the district offices are being forwarded to another number or are monitored remotely. To reach the Lyndon office call 785-828-4438; Ottawa, call 785-229-3520; and Garnett, call 785-448-6826.

Many services such as sending soil tests, or purchasing a radon kit, are still available to the public.  However, district employees are currently practicing social distancing as they respond to requests. Just phone your local office in advance to make arrangements. Other programs may be offered online, or through video-conferencing.

Ed. note: The Osage County Health Department issued this press release today.

LYNDON, Kan. – Osage County Health Department announced the first case of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Osage County on Friday, March 27, 2020. Testing sent to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s laboratory identified the positive case.

The case involves a 48-year-old female Osage County resident. Privacy laws prohibit the release of further information about the patient.

Osage County Health Department will identify close contacts of the individual. Close contact is defined as being within 6 feet for a prolonged period (10 minutes or longer) or having direct contact with infectious secretions. Officials will contact those who were exposed as soon as possible and monitor for fever and respiratory symptoms. The health department will be actively monitoring the close contacts for 14 days for fever, cough, and shortness of breath.

Osage County issued a stay-at-home order on March 26, 2020, to go into effect 12:01 a.m. March 28, using social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19.