UPDATE: This case has been assigned to Barton County, according to a release from Ellsworth County.

"The first confirmed case of COVID-19 for Ellsworth County will be assigned as a Barton County COVID-19 case. The zip code marked the individual as residing in Ellsworth County however physical location is Barton County," the release from the Ellsworth County Health Department noted.

ELLSWORTH -- The Ellsworth County Health Department today reported the county's first confirmed case of COVID-19.

Following is a letter to Ellsworth County residents from the health department.

UPDATE: This case has been assigned to Barton County, according to a release from Ellsworth County."The first confirmed case of COVID-19 for Ellsworth County will be assigned as a Barton County COVID-19 case. The zip code marked the individual as residing in Ellsworth County however physical location is Barton County," the release from the Ellsworth County Health Department noted.ELLSWORTH -- The Ellsworth County Health Department today reported the county's first confirmed case of COVID-19.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586294102927.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Following is a letter to Ellsworth County residents from the health department.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586294102927.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

UPDATE: Ellsworth County COVID-19 case re-assigned

Following is a statement from the Salina Police Department concerning the enactment of the Emergency Accident Reporting Plan.

Due to the
dramatic rise of amount of COVID-19 cases in Kansas in the past week, the
Salina Police Department will be enacting the Emergency Accident Reporting Plan
(EARP) on April 8, 2020 at 12:01 P.M. &nbsp;The
spread of the virus is projected to worsen by the end of April to the first
part of May, 2020. &nbsp;

Our purpose
in enacting this plan is two-fold:

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Reduce our potential for exposure to
COVID-19 for both our officers and citizens

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Allow other calls of a higher
priority to be handled in a more expeditiously manner

We are
anticipating this will reduce the calls for service for accidents in half. &nbsp;We will still respond to injury accidents and
others that are of a more serious nature.&nbsp;
Similar plans have been put in place in several cities across our state.

If an accident occurs please contact the Salina Police
Department at (785) 826-7210. &nbsp;A
dispatcher will ask the following questions to see if the report accident is an
“eligible accident” under the Emergency Accident Reporting plan.&nbsp; Does this accident involve a:

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Hit and Run

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Personal Injury

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Is Alcohol or
Drugs Involved

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Is Towing Required

If the caller answers “No” to the above questions, the
accident shall be reported via an Emergency Accident Report form.&nbsp; An officer will not be responding to the scene and completing an accident
report.

An Emergency Accident Report form may be obtained from
the Salina Police Department online website at <a href="http://www.pd.salina.org">www.pd.salina.org</a>, or at the Salina Police Department 255 N. 10th
Street.

Please complete the report form as much as possible
(according to the instructions on the form) and mail or deliver the completed
report to the Salina Police Department within 48 hours.

Following is a statement from the Salina Police Department concerning the enactment of the Emergency Accident Reporting Plan.Due to the
dramatic rise of amount of COVID-19 cases in Kansas in the past week, the
Salina Police Department will be enacting the Emergency Accident Reporting Plan
(EARP) on April 8, 2020 at 12:01 P.M. &nbsp;The
spread of the virus is projected to worsen by the end of April to the first
part of May, 2020. &nbsp;Our purpose
in enacting this plan is two-fold:·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Reduce our potential for exposure to
COVID-19 for both our officers and citizens·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Allow other calls of a higher
priority to be handled in a more expeditiously mannerWe are
anticipating this will reduce the calls for service for accidents in half. &nbsp;We will still respond to injury accidents and
others that are of a more serious nature.&nbsp;
Similar plans have been put in place in several cities across our state.If an accident occurs please contact the Salina Police
Department at (785) 826-7210. &nbsp;A
dispatcher will ask the following questions to see if the report accident is an
“eligible accident” under the Emergency Accident Reporting plan.&nbsp; Does this accident involve a:·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Hit and Run ·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Personal Injury·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Is Alcohol or
Drugs Involved·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Is Towing RequiredIf the caller answers “No” to the above questions, the
accident shall be reported via an Emergency Accident Report form.&nbsp; An officer will not be responding to the scene and completing an accident
report. An Emergency Accident Report form may be obtained from
the Salina Police Department online website at <a href="http://www.pd.salina.org">www.pd.salina.org</a>, or at the Salina Police Department 255 N. 10th
Street.Please complete the report form as much as possible
(according to the instructions on the form) and mail or deliver the completed
report to the Salina Police Department within 48 hours.

SPD enacts Emergency Accident Reporting Plan

HARVEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp; a viral video of two people walking through Walmart in Newton coughing on other people and saying they have coronavirus, according to a social media report police in Newton.

Police were not called at the time of this incident, but Newton officers began investigating after seeing the video on social media. Police identified the suspects, interviewed them and have arrested Hazel Hamrick, 29, and Ernest Williams, 47, both of Hesston,&nbsp; on requested charges of felony criminal threat and misdemeanor disorderly conduct. They've been booked into Harvey County Jail.

Both admitted to walking around Walmart with Williams coughing on people while Hamrick verbalized that Williams had the coronavirus. They both indicated they don't take the COVID-19 pandemic seriously and thought it would be funny.

Harvey County Attorney's Office has indicated they will aggressively pursue prosecution of the two individuals, including other potential criminal charges, according to police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586278382349.png" alt="Williams photo Harvey County" />
 <figcaption>Williams photo Harvey County</figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp; a viral video of two people walking through Walmart in Newton coughing on other people and saying they have coronavirus, according to a social media report police in Newton.Police were not called at the time of this incident, but Newton officers began investigating after seeing the video on social media. Police identified the suspects, interviewed them and have arrested Hazel Hamrick, 29, and Ernest Williams, 47, both of Hesston,&nbsp; on requested charges of felony criminal threat and misdemeanor disorderly conduct. They've been booked into Harvey County Jail.Both admitted to walking around Walmart with Williams coughing on people while Hamrick verbalized that Williams had the coronavirus. They both indicated they don't take the COVID-19 pandemic seriously and thought it would be funny.Harvey County Attorney's Office has indicated they will aggressively pursue prosecution of the two individuals, including other potential criminal charges, according to police.

Kan. couple jailed for coughing on people, saying they have coronavirus

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN, <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/how-coronavirus-testing-works-if-you-live-kansas#stream/0">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA, Kansas — In many parts of Kansas, people not sick enough for hospitalization still can’t find out if they have COVID-19.

Doctor’s
 offices and hospitals say access to coronavirus testing has improved in
 Kansas, but still remains out of reach for many people.

A clinic runs out of <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/covid-19-swab-tests-unpleasant-illustration-1495322" target="_blank">swabs</a> to collect patient samples. A vendor postpones delivery of testing equipment. A private lab becomes backlogged.

Ascension Via Christi Health in Wichita is among hospitals trying to buy <a href="https://abbott.mediaroom.com/2020-03-27-Abbott-Launches-Molecular-Point-of-Care-Test-to-Detect-Novel-Coronavirus-in-as-Little-as-Five-Minutes" target="_blank">new 5- to 15-minute tests</a>
 that received a temporary emergency greenlight from the U.S. Food and 
Drug Administration. But the best the system of hospitals and clinics 
can do for now is get in line, so it has contacted its suppliers.

“We have the equipment,” chief nursing officer Carla Yost said in an email, “but we do not have the test kits.”

For
 now, she says, those kits are heading to areas where the outbreak is 
more acute. So Ascension Via Christi is sending samples to its lab in 
Tulsa. Getting results takes about a day and a half.

“We have couriers running routes to and from our Kansas hospitals multiple times a day,” Yost said. “Seven days a week.”

As of last week, more than 6,500 Kansans had been tested for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/updated-regularly-what-kansans-need-know-about-covid-19-coronavirus#stream/0" target="_blank">More than 550</a> had tested positive. The state has a <a href="https://public.tableau.com/profile/kdhe.epidemiology#!/vizhome/COVID-19Data_15851817634470/KSCOVID-19CaseData" target="_blank">dashboard</a> that lets you explore how many people have been tested in each county.

Some doctors are raising concerns about <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/04/02/nation/how-accurate-are-coronavirus-tests-doctors-raise-concern-about-false-negative-results/" target="_blank">false negatives</a>
 — tests that suggest someone doesn’t have the virus when they are 
infected — and encouraging people with coronavirus symptoms who test 
negative to stay home anyway.

Congress passed a law <a href="https://www.kff.org/private-insurance/issue-brief/private-health-coverage-of-covid-19-key-facts-and-issues/" target="_blank">requiring most</a>&nbsp;health plans to cover COVID-19 testing for now without cost to the patient. But patients could get bills anyway, <a href="https://www.kff.org/private-insurance/issue-brief/private-health-coverage-of-covid-19-key-facts-and-issues/" target="_blank">Kaiser Family Foundation says</a>.

Americans
 often end up at an emergency room outside their insurance network, or 
sometimes go to an in-network hospital or clinic only to find out later 
that the facility used out-of-network labs or staff. Patients might also
 get charged for other services in conjunction with their COVID-19 
tests, the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/19/health/coronavirus-tests-bills.html" target="_blank">New York Times</a> reported.

Uninsured
 people and people with low-quality health insurance should get the 
tests for free, too, under the same federal law, but that will take some
 legwork on the state's part. The Kansas News Service is seeking more 
information from Gov. Laura Kelly's office about what uninsured Kansans 
should do if they receive a bill in the meantime.&nbsp;

As for coronavirus treatment, many insurers may cover it, but <a href="https://www.kff.org/private-insurance/issue-brief/private-health-coverage-of-covid-19-key-facts-and-issues/" target="_blank">they don’t have to</a>.
 On Friday, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas announced it would waive 
copays and deductibles for COVID-19 treatment for the next 60 days for 
plans fully under its control. (In other cases, employers will have the 
final say.)&nbsp;

At
 the state lab in Topeka, coronavirus testing took several hours at 
first. Staff worked 16-hour shifts, health secretary Lee Norman has 
said, but still got through fewer than 200 samples a day.

Last weekend, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment received <a href="https://perkinelmer-appliedgenomics.com/home/products/new-coronavirus-2019-ncov-nucleic-acid-detection-kit/" target="_blank">equipment</a> to ramp up to between 700 and 1,000 samples a day. State officials hope to get as many as 64,000 test kits soon.

Kansas has also ordered equipment and supplies for <a href="https://www.cepheid.com/coronavirus" target="_blank">45-minute test</a><a href="https://www.cepheid.com/coronavirus">s</a> and expects to receive that in the next few weeks.

Yet the specialized nose and throat swabs needed for collecting patient samples are in short supply here and elsewhere.

Private labs, local health agencies and hospitals in Kansas

Some hospitals have purchased testing equipment and kits, too. St Luke’s Health System in the Kansas City area <a href="https://diagnostics.roche.com/us/en/products/params/cobas-sars-cov-2-test.html" target="_blank">set up in-house testing</a> that cut wait time from a few days to hours. The University of Kansas Health System has had <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eEDjrQRAog&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">similar success</a>.

But
 vendors can’t move fast enough to meet demand. Stormont Vail Hospital 
in Topeka expected to receive testing equipment early this week — then 
its supplier pushed back the delivery date to later in the month.

“We
 find that vendors will say that we've been ‘reprioritized’” for various
 coronavirus-related supplies, Stormont CEO Robert Kenagy said. “It's 
very difficult to get vendors to commit.”

For now, many clinics 
and hospitals use external labs. At least four such labs are processing 
tests for Kansas clinics and hospitals.

Community Health Center 
of Southeast Kansas uses a company with lab sites in Lenexa and St. 
Louis. As of this week, the center had plenty of supplies to gather 
patient samples, but getting back results was taking five to seven days,
 vice president Christi Keating said.

As of April 1, private labs had identified about 75% of known COVID-19 cases in Kansas.

The state lab may sometimes be a faster option, but limited resources have forced Kansas to limit who it tests.

Clinics and hospitals can send samples to the state lab only for patients that <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus/toolkit/COVID-19_Testing_Priorities_3-22.20.pdf" target="_blank">fit certain criteria</a>,
 such as health care workers or nursing home residents with coronavirus 
symptoms. Samples from other patients go to private labs.

What about those drive-through testing sites?

Sites such as <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/covid-19-testing-limited-kansas-city-so-dont-expect-get-one-without-doctors-order#stream/0" target="_blank">this one</a> in Wyandotte County where patients can pull up and give a sample to a waiting health worker are springing up across the state.

So
 far these are not places to show up unannounced. You’ll need approval 
and an appointment through a health care provider first. Criteria vary 
by provider, and some <a href="https://www.saintlukeskc.org/about/news/saint-lukes-news-three-covid-19-drive-thru-testing-sites-set-qualifying-saint-lukes" target="_blank">post them on their websites</a>.

Whether
 to order the test in the first place remains up to your health care 
provider. Because of the testing bottleneck, the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention recommends prioritizing some patients over 
others, but <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/priority-testing-patients.pdf" target="_blank">its guidelines</a> aren’t binding.

If
 your symptoms aren’t serious, your doctor or nurse practitioner may 
simply ask you to stay home, care for yourself and call if you get 
worse. Most people test negative for COVID-19, and most cases of it are 
mild. Research from other countries suggests about 1 in 5 patients get 
sick enough to need hospitalization.

“It would be nice if we had 
as many COVID-19 tests as we do influenza tests, but it’s not there,” 
said Jim Zauche, a doctor at Garden City’s St. Catherine Hospital.

His
 hospital is focusing on testing people sick enough for hospitalization.
 So for Finney County residents with milder symptoms, he recommends 
calling the public health department or your doctor before showing up at
 the ER in search of a test.

The CDC has a list of coronavirus symptoms and a <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html" target="_blank">self-check tool</a> to help people decide when to seek medical care.

What about tests for people without symptoms?

The question of whether to push for <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/covid-19-coronavirus-testing-paradox-united-states" target="_blank">broader testing</a> remains a matter of debate, with some experts arguing the U.S. shouldn’t ignore people with few or no symptoms.

Kansas
 ultimately wants to launch population studies that include seemingly 
healthy people, to better understand how common the virus is in 
different areas, pinpoint hotspots and stop the spread. Johnson County 
has plans for <a href="https://www.kmbc.com/article/johnson-county-board-of-commissioners-oks-additional-covid-19-testing/31984155" target="_blank">a similar effort</a>.

Officials were hopeful this week that enough test kits would come through to help the state achieve that.

“It will allow us to change our thinking,” Norman said. “Until that time, social distancing is the name of the game.”

A Yale University medical professor is among those <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/01/well/live/coronavirus-symptoms-tests-false-negative.html" target="_blank">urging caution</a>
 among people told they don’t have the coronavirus, and warning of a 
potentially significant rate of people testing negative despite having 
the illness.

KU Health System has double-tested 34 patients so far to check accuracy, and got the same results in each round of testing.

But
 the problem of false negatives may have less to do with the actual test
 and more to do with sample collection, which often involves inserting 
an uncomfortable swab very deep into a person’s nose. That makes 
training medical workers vital, or all bets are off.

“You’re 
putting … the swab back to about where your ear is,” KU infectious 
disease specialist Dana Hawkinson said. “If you have a nice nurse who 
doesn’t want to hurt you, that could be a problem because the sampling 
may not be good.”

Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Celia_LJ" target="_blank">@celia_LJ</a>
 or email her at celia@kcur.org. The Kansas News Service is a
 collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public
 Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their 
connection to public policy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586272128141.jpeg" alt=" Drive-through testing sites are popping up across Kansas, but don't show up without an appointment. J. Schafer / Kansas Public Radio" />
 <figcaption> Drive-through testing sites are popping up across Kansas, but don't show up without an appointment. J. Schafer / Kansas Public Radio</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN, <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/how-coronavirus-testing-works-if-you-live-kansas#stream/0">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA, Kansas — In many parts of Kansas, people not sick enough for hospitalization still can’t find out if they have COVID-19.Doctor’s
 offices and hospitals say access to coronavirus testing has improved in
 Kansas, but still remains out of reach for many people.A clinic runs out of <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/covid-19-swab-tests-unpleasant-illustration-1495322" target="_blank">swabs</a> to collect patient samples. A vendor postpones delivery of testing equipment. A private lab becomes backlogged.Ascension Via Christi Health in Wichita is among hospitals trying to buy <a href="https://abbott.mediaroom.com/2020-03-27-Abbott-Launches-Molecular-Point-of-Care-Test-to-Detect-Novel-Coronavirus-in-as-Little-as-Five-Minutes" target="_blank">new 5- to 15-minute tests</a>
 that received a temporary emergency greenlight from the U.S. Food and 
Drug Administration. But the best the system of hospitals and clinics 
can do for now is get in line, so it has contacted its suppliers.“We have the equipment,” chief nursing officer Carla Yost said in an email, “but we do not have the test kits.”For
 now, she says, those kits are heading to areas where the outbreak is 
more acute. So Ascension Via Christi is sending samples to its lab in 
Tulsa. Getting results takes about a day and a half.“We have couriers running routes to and from our Kansas hospitals multiple times a day,” Yost said. “Seven days a week.”As of last week, more than 6,500 Kansans had been tested for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/updated-regularly-what-kansans-need-know-about-covid-19-coronavirus#stream/0" target="_blank">More than 550</a> had tested positive. The state has a <a href="https://public.tableau.com/profile/kdhe.epidemiology#!/vizhome/COVID-19Data_15851817634470/KSCOVID-19CaseData" target="_blank">dashboard</a> that lets you explore how many people have been tested in each county.Some doctors are raising concerns about <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/04/02/nation/how-accurate-are-coronavirus-tests-doctors-raise-concern-about-false-negative-results/" target="_blank">false negatives</a>
 — tests that suggest someone doesn’t have the virus when they are 
infected — and encouraging people with coronavirus symptoms who test 
negative to stay home anyway.<h2>Is testing free?</h2>Congress passed a law <a href="https://www.kff.org/private-insurance/issue-brief/private-health-coverage-of-covid-19-key-facts-and-issues/" target="_blank">requiring most</a>&nbsp;health plans to cover COVID-19 testing for now without cost to the patient. But patients could get bills anyway, <a href="https://www.kff.org/private-insurance/issue-brief/private-health-coverage-of-covid-19-key-facts-and-issues/" target="_blank">Kaiser Family Foundation says</a>.Americans
 often end up at an emergency room outside their insurance network, or 
sometimes go to an in-network hospital or clinic only to find out later 
that the facility used out-of-network labs or staff. Patients might also
 get charged for other services in conjunction with their COVID-19 
tests, the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/19/health/coronavirus-tests-bills.html" target="_blank">New York Times</a> reported.Uninsured
 people and people with low-quality health insurance should get the 
tests for free, too, under the same federal law, but that will take some
 legwork on the state's part. The Kansas News Service is seeking more 
information from Gov. Laura Kelly's office about what uninsured Kansans 
should do if they receive a bill in the meantime.&nbsp;As for coronavirus treatment, many insurers may cover it, but <a href="https://www.kff.org/private-insurance/issue-brief/private-health-coverage-of-covid-19-key-facts-and-issues/" target="_blank">they don’t have to</a>.
 On Friday, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas announced it would waive 
copays and deductibles for COVID-19 treatment for the next 60 days for 
plans fully under its control. (In other cases, employers will have the 
final say.)&nbsp;<h2>How much testing does Kansas do?</h2>At
 the state lab in Topeka, coronavirus testing took several hours at 
first. Staff worked 16-hour shifts, health secretary Lee Norman has 
said, but still got through fewer than 200 samples a day.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586272211245.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Last weekend, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment received <a href="https://perkinelmer-appliedgenomics.com/home/products/new-coronavirus-2019-ncov-nucleic-acid-detection-kit/" target="_blank">equipment</a> to ramp up to between 700 and 1,000 samples a day. State officials hope to get as many as 64,000 test kits soon.Kansas has also ordered equipment and supplies for <a href="https://www.cepheid.com/coronavirus" target="_blank">45-minute test</a><a href="https://www.cepheid.com/coronavirus">s</a> and expects to receive that in the next few weeks.Yet the specialized nose and throat swabs needed for collecting patient samples are in short supply here and elsewhere.<h2>Private labs, local health agencies and hospitals in Kansas</h2>Some hospitals have purchased testing equipment and kits, too. St Luke’s Health System in the Kansas City area <a href="https://diagnostics.roche.com/us/en/products/params/cobas-sars-cov-2-test.html" target="_blank">set up in-house testing</a> that cut wait time from a few days to hours. The University of Kansas Health System has had <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eEDjrQRAog&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">similar success</a>.But
 vendors can’t move fast enough to meet demand. Stormont Vail Hospital 
in Topeka expected to receive testing equipment early this week — then 
its supplier pushed back the delivery date to later in the month.“We
 find that vendors will say that we've been ‘reprioritized’” for various
 coronavirus-related supplies, Stormont CEO Robert Kenagy said. “It's 
very difficult to get vendors to commit.”For now, many clinics 
and hospitals use external labs. At least four such labs are processing 
tests for Kansas clinics and hospitals.Community Health Center 
of Southeast Kansas uses a company with lab sites in Lenexa and St. 
Louis. As of this week, the center had plenty of supplies to gather 
patient samples, but getting back results was taking five to seven days,
 vice president Christi Keating said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586272249249.jpeg" alt=" View from a patient's car while waiting for testing. Credit Submitted" />
 <figcaption> View from a patient's car while waiting for testing. Credit Submitted</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Who gets tested through which lab?</h2>As of April 1, private labs had identified about 75% of known COVID-19 cases in Kansas.The state lab may sometimes be a faster option, but limited resources have forced Kansas to limit who it tests.Clinics and hospitals can send samples to the state lab only for patients that <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus/toolkit/COVID-19_Testing_Priorities_3-22.20.pdf" target="_blank">fit certain criteria</a>,
 such as health care workers or nursing home residents with coronavirus 
symptoms. Samples from other patients go to private labs.<h2>What about those drive-through testing sites?</h2>Sites such as <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/covid-19-testing-limited-kansas-city-so-dont-expect-get-one-without-doctors-order#stream/0" target="_blank">this one</a> in Wyandotte County where patients can pull up and give a sample to a waiting health worker are springing up across the state.So
 far these are not places to show up unannounced. You’ll need approval 
and an appointment through a health care provider first. Criteria vary 
by provider, and some <a href="https://www.saintlukeskc.org/about/news/saint-lukes-news-three-covid-19-drive-thru-testing-sites-set-qualifying-saint-lukes" target="_blank">post them on their websites</a>.<h2>Who can get tested?</h2>Whether
 to order the test in the first place remains up to your health care 
provider. Because of the testing bottleneck, the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention recommends prioritizing some patients over 
others, but <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/priority-testing-patients.pdf" target="_blank">its guidelines</a> aren’t binding.If
 your symptoms aren’t serious, your doctor or nurse practitioner may 
simply ask you to stay home, care for yourself and call if you get 
worse. Most people test negative for COVID-19, and most cases of it are 
mild. Research from other countries suggests about 1 in 5 patients get 
sick enough to need hospitalization.“It would be nice if we had 
as many COVID-19 tests as we do influenza tests, but it’s not there,” 
said Jim Zauche, a doctor at Garden City’s St. Catherine Hospital.His
 hospital is focusing on testing people sick enough for hospitalization.
 So for Finney County residents with milder symptoms, he recommends 
calling the public health department or your doctor before showing up at
 the ER in search of a test.The CDC has a list of coronavirus symptoms and a <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html" target="_blank">self-check tool</a> to help people decide when to seek medical care.<h2>What about tests for people without symptoms?</h2>The question of whether to push for <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/covid-19-coronavirus-testing-paradox-united-states" target="_blank">broader testing</a> remains a matter of debate, with some experts arguing the U.S. shouldn’t ignore people with few or no symptoms.Kansas
 ultimately wants to launch population studies that include seemingly 
healthy people, to better understand how common the virus is in 
different areas, pinpoint hotspots and stop the spread. Johnson County 
has plans for <a href="https://www.kmbc.com/article/johnson-county-board-of-commissioners-oks-additional-covid-19-testing/31984155" target="_blank">a similar effort</a>.Officials were hopeful this week that enough test kits would come through to help the state achieve that.“It will allow us to change our thinking,” Norman said. “Until that time, social distancing is the name of the game.”<h2>What about false negatives?</h2>A Yale University medical professor is among those <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/01/well/live/coronavirus-symptoms-tests-false-negative.html" target="_blank">urging caution</a>
 among people told they don’t have the coronavirus, and warning of a 
potentially significant rate of people testing negative despite having 
the illness.KU Health System has double-tested 34 patients so far to check accuracy, and got the same results in each round of testing.But
 the problem of false negatives may have less to do with the actual test
 and more to do with sample collection, which often involves inserting 
an uncomfortable swab very deep into a person’s nose. That makes 
training medical workers vital, or all bets are off.“You’re 
putting … the swab back to about where your ear is,” KU infectious 
disease specialist Dana Hawkinson said. “If you have a nice nurse who 
doesn’t want to hurt you, that could be a problem because the sampling 
may not be good.”Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Celia_LJ" target="_blank">@celia_LJ</a>
 or email her at celia@kcur.org. The Kansas News Service is a
 collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public
 Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their 
connection to public policy.

This is how coronavirus testing works if you live in Kansas 

By Lindsey Tanner, Associated Press&nbsp;

The first national data on COVID-19 in U.S. children suggest that while the illness usually isn’t severe in kids, some do get sick enough to require hospital treatment.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report released Monday shows that fever, cough and shortness of breath were the most common symptoms in kids, but they occurred less often than in adults. The findings mostly echo reports from China about how the new coronavirus affects children.

The report included nearly 150,000 laboratory-confirmed U.S. cases in adults and children from Feb. 12 through April 2. About 2,500 of them, or almost 2%, were children. While most kids didn’t become severely ill, three youngsters died.

About 1 in 5 infected children were hospitalized versus 1 in 3 adults. Cases were more common in older children and teens but serious illness appeared to be more common in infants. Cases were slightly more common in boys than girls.

The authors cautioned that many details were missing from pediatric cases, so the report should be considered preliminary.

For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in a few weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including life-threatening pneumonia.

Confirmed U.S. cases top 340,000 with more than 10,000 reported deaths. Globally, there have been more than 1.3 million confirmed cases, and more than 70,000 reported deaths.

The report authors stressed that because people without symptoms, including children, are likely playing a role in transmitting the virus, “social distancing and everyday preventive measures”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html" target="_blank">are recommended&nbsp;</a>for all ages.

Dr. Larry Kociolek, an infectious disease specialist at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, said the report should reassure parents and health care workers that children are less likely than adults to get very sick from the new virus. But that can pose a challenge, he said, because “patients with milder illness are less likely to quarantine themselves and may be at similar risk of transmitting.”

Authorities need to take that into account when considering when to lift social distancing policies and reopen schools, Kociolek said.

By Lindsey Tanner, Associated Press&nbsp;The first national data on COVID-19 in U.S. children suggest that while the illness usually isn’t severe in kids, some do get sick enough to require hospital treatment.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report released Monday shows that fever, cough and shortness of breath were the most common symptoms in kids, but they occurred less often than in adults. The findings mostly echo reports from China about how the new coronavirus affects children.The report included nearly 150,000 laboratory-confirmed U.S. cases in adults and children from Feb. 12 through April 2. About 2,500 of them, or almost 2%, were children. While most kids didn’t become severely ill, three youngsters died.About 1 in 5 infected children were hospitalized versus 1 in 3 adults. Cases were more common in older children and teens but serious illness appeared to be more common in infants. Cases were slightly more common in boys than girls.The authors cautioned that many details were missing from pediatric cases, so the report should be considered preliminary.For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in a few weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including life-threatening pneumonia.Confirmed U.S. cases top 340,000 with more than 10,000 reported deaths. Globally, there have been more than 1.3 million confirmed cases, and more than 70,000 reported deaths.The report authors stressed that because people without symptoms, including children, are likely playing a role in transmitting the virus, “social distancing and everyday preventive measures”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html" target="_blank">are recommended&nbsp;</a>for all ages.Dr. Larry Kociolek, an infectious disease specialist at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, said the report should reassure parents and health care workers that children are less likely than adults to get very sick from the new virus. But that can pose a challenge, he said, because “patients with milder illness are less likely to quarantine themselves and may be at similar risk of transmitting.”Authorities need to take that into account when considering when to lift social distancing policies and reopen schools, Kociolek said.___

Virus is mostly mild and rarely fatal for US kids, data show

Kroger, the parent company of Dillons, has announced that beginning today, it will limit the number of people allowed in its stores.

In an announcement Monday, Kroger said it will limit the number of customers to 50 percent of the international building code's calculated capacity to allow for proper physical distancing in every store.

"Kroger's introduction of customer capacity limits is one more way we are doing our part to flatten the curve while operating as an essential business, providing our customers with access to fresh, affordable food and products," said Mary Ellen Adcock, Kroger's senior vice president of operations. "During this national pandemic, we are committed to adopting preventive measures to help protect the safety and health of our associates, customers and communities."

As an illustration, the standard building capacity for a grocery store is 1 person per 60 square feet. Under Kroger's new reduced capacity limits, the number will be 1 person per 120 square feet. Kroger will begin to monitor the number of customers per square foot in its stores using its industry-leading QueVision technology, which already provides a count of the customers entering and exiting stores.

"By leveraging QueVision, our technology system that uses infrared sensors and predictive analytics, we will be able to more efficiently support our new capacity limits, creating a safer environment for our customers and associates," said Yael Cosset, Kroger's chief technology and digital officer.

Kroger's new customer capacity limits joins other measures the retailer has established over the last few weeks to promote physical distancing, including the addition of plexiglass partitions and educational floor decals and airing of a healthy habits message via in-store radio to encourage customers to practice good hygiene and spatial awareness.

Kroger and its affiliates have also recently implemented the following protective and preventive measures.

Protective face masks and gloves for associates

The Kroger Family of Companies is encouraging associates to wear protective masks and gloves. The retailer has ordered masks for associates nationwide, with supply starting to arrive in select regions and the anticipation of all locations having supply by the end of this week.

The Kroger Family of Companies is asking associates to closely monitor their health and take their temperature at home prior to coming to work. If they experience symptoms, including a fever, they are encouraged to contact their health care provider and stay home. Under its expanded COVID-19 emergency leave guidelines, associates self-isolating or experiencing symptoms as verified by an health care professional are eligible to receive their standard pay for up to two weeks (14 days).

The retailer started testing temperature checks in its distribution centers several weeks ago and is beginning to expand associate temperature checks to stores. Kroger and its affiliates are following local ordinances in cities or counties that mandate employee temperature checks, and associates may also request to have their temperature taken at work.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584040619502.jpeg" alt="The Cloud Street Dillons in Salina. Salina Post file photo" />
 <figcaption>The Cloud Street Dillons in Salina. Salina Post file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Kroger, the parent company of Dillons, has announced that beginning today, it will limit the number of people allowed in its stores.In an announcement Monday, Kroger said it will limit the number of customers to 50 percent of the international building code's calculated capacity to allow for proper physical distancing in every store."Kroger's introduction of customer capacity limits is one more way we are doing our part to flatten the curve while operating as an essential business, providing our customers with access to fresh, affordable food and products," said Mary Ellen Adcock, Kroger's senior vice president of operations. "During this national pandemic, we are committed to adopting preventive measures to help protect the safety and health of our associates, customers and communities."As an illustration, the standard building capacity for a grocery store is 1 person per 60 square feet. Under Kroger's new reduced capacity limits, the number will be 1 person per 120 square feet. Kroger will begin to monitor the number of customers per square foot in its stores using its industry-leading QueVision technology, which already provides a count of the customers entering and exiting stores."By leveraging QueVision, our technology system that uses infrared sensors and predictive analytics, we will be able to more efficiently support our new capacity limits, creating a safer environment for our customers and associates," said Yael Cosset, Kroger's chief technology and digital officer.Kroger's new customer capacity limits joins other measures the retailer has established over the last few weeks to promote physical distancing, including the addition of plexiglass partitions and educational floor decals and airing of a healthy habits message via in-store radio to encourage customers to practice good hygiene and spatial awareness.Kroger and its affiliates have also recently implemented the following protective and preventive measures.Protective face masks and gloves for associatesThe Kroger Family of Companies is encouraging associates to wear protective masks and gloves. The retailer has ordered masks for associates nationwide, with supply starting to arrive in select regions and the anticipation of all locations having supply by the end of this week.Associate wellness checksThe Kroger Family of Companies is asking associates to closely monitor their health and take their temperature at home prior to coming to work. If they experience symptoms, including a fever, they are encouraged to contact their health care provider and stay home. Under its expanded COVID-19 emergency leave guidelines, associates self-isolating or experiencing symptoms as verified by an health care professional are eligible to receive their standard pay for up to two weeks (14 days).The retailer started testing temperature checks in its distribution centers several weeks ago and is beginning to expand associate temperature checks to stores. Kroger and its affiliates are following local ordinances in cities or counties that mandate employee temperature checks, and associates may also request to have their temperature taken at work.

Kroger limiting number of customers in its stores

MCPHERSON -- The McPherson County Health Department this evening reported a 10th confirmed case of COVID-19 in the county.

According to a news release from the department, the 10th person is a female in her 20s who is recovering in isolation at home.

"This case has an identified exposure to the known facility with a cluster. McPherson County Health Department and key partners continue to actively investigate contacts and additional exposures. If you are an identified contact, you will be directly reached out to by local health officials," the release noted.

"Today at 2:00 pm, KDHE Secretary Dr. Norman listed 11 counties that are currently experiencing clusters of positive cases. This simply means that KDHE is working directly with McPherson County Health Department regarding our positive cases," the release continued. "A 'cluster' is recognized when 50% or more of known positive cases in the county are traced back to the same exposure. McPherson County's cluster is referring to a known facility, where 6 of our cases have been traced back to. Information about this facility will not be released to the public at this time."

MCPHERSON -- The McPherson County Health Department this evening reported a 10th confirmed case of COVID-19 in the county.According to a news release from the department, the 10th person is a female in her 20s who is recovering in isolation at home."This case has an identified exposure to the known facility with a cluster. McPherson County Health Department and key partners continue to actively investigate contacts and additional exposures. If you are an identified contact, you will be directly reached out to by local health officials," the release noted."Today at 2:00 pm, KDHE Secretary Dr. Norman listed 11 counties that are currently experiencing clusters of positive cases. This simply means that KDHE is working directly with McPherson County Health Department regarding our positive cases," the release continued. "A 'cluster' is recognized when 50% or more of known positive cases in the county are traced back to the same exposure. McPherson County's cluster is referring to a known facility, where 6 of our cases have been traced back to. Information about this facility will not be released to the public at this time."

McPherson County reports its 10th confirmed COVID-19 case

TOPEKA – Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) Secretary Laura Howard announced Monday that three staff members and one resident at Parsons State Hospital and Training Center (PSHTC) have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last week, according to a media release from the agency.

 These are the first confirmed positive cases at any of the four state hospitals.

All three staff are female and over 25 years of age. The resident has been moved to an on-grounds location being used as an isolation unit. To protect their identity.

KDADS and PSHTC staff, including the hospital’s medical director, have been in consultation with Kansas Department for Health and Environment (KDHE) officials and Labette and Crawford County officials about guidance and next steps to address these circumstances.

As added precaution and given new guidelines from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, surgical masks were distributed to all staff on Saturday, April 4. Staff in all areas of the hospital will wear masks when social distancing is difficult. Staff and resident temperatures have been taken once daily since March 20. Beginning today, temperatures will be taken twice daily.&nbsp;

“With the continued support and dedication of our hospital staff along with the leadership of KDHE and Governor Kelly, we are prepared to continue to provide a safe and healthy environment for all residents in our state hospitals,” Secretary Howard said. “These circumstances, while uncertain, highlight more than ever our commitment to patient care.”

PSHTC, opened in 1903 as a state hospital for epileptics, was renamed Parsons State Hospital and Training Center in 1957 and is one of two residential treatment, training and care facilities operated by the State of Kansas to serve individuals with intellectual disabilities. The hospital occupies 43 buildings on 163 acres.

TOPEKA – Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) Secretary Laura Howard announced Monday that three staff members and one resident at Parsons State Hospital and Training Center (PSHTC) have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last week, according to a media release from the agency. These are the first confirmed positive cases at any of the four state hospitals.All three staff are female and over 25 years of age. The resident has been moved to an on-grounds location being used as an isolation unit. To protect their identity.KDADS and PSHTC staff, including the hospital’s medical director, have been in consultation with Kansas Department for Health and Environment (KDHE) officials and Labette and Crawford County officials about guidance and next steps to address these circumstances.As added precaution and given new guidelines from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, surgical masks were distributed to all staff on Saturday, April 4. Staff in all areas of the hospital will wear masks when social distancing is difficult. Staff and resident temperatures have been taken once daily since March 20. Beginning today, temperatures will be taken twice daily.&nbsp;“With the continued support and dedication of our hospital staff along with the leadership of KDHE and Governor Kelly, we are prepared to continue to provide a safe and healthy environment for all residents in our state hospitals,” Secretary Howard said. “These circumstances, while uncertain, highlight more than ever our commitment to patient care.”PSHTC, opened in 1903 as a state hospital for epileptics, was renamed Parsons State Hospital and Training Center in 1957 and is one of two residential treatment, training and care facilities operated by the State of Kansas to serve individuals with intellectual disabilities. The hospital occupies 43 buildings on 163 acres.

Staff members, patient have coronavirus at State Hospital

PHOENIX (AP) — Yvonne Knight, who has respiratory problems that make her especially vulnerable in the coronavirus pandemic, can’t buy groceries online with her food stamps — even though each trip to the store is now a risky endeavor.

Going out to buy food terrifies the 38-year-old woman with cerebral palsy, but she is one of millions of people who receive food aid through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that can’t be used in flexible ways.

“Every time I go out, I put myself at risk — and other people,” said Knight, who lives in Erie, Pennsylvania. “I’m so terrified when people come up to me now. I don’t want to go out to the store.”

Buying groceries online — which many Americans are doing to drastically reduce how often they leave their homes — is only open to SNAP recipients in six U.S. states, and Pennsylvania is not one of them.

Now, state governments and food security activists across the country are imploring the U.S. Department of Agriculture to make the program more flexible and easier to access at a time when so many people are losing their jobs and turning to the government for support.

The calls have even come from conservative states where lawmakers have tried to reduce or limit food aid.

In Arizona, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey has asked the agency to waive interview requirements for applicants, allow families to purchase hot meals, waive work requirements for some and enact other changes that would help families deal with the economic fallout of the pandemic.

Ashley St. Thomas, the public policy manager for the Arizona Food Bank Network, lauded the governor’s request, adding that relaxing requirements that program recipients prove they are working at least some hours each month is “critical right now” — especially as millions get laid off and jobs dry up for people who work in the informal or gig economies.

Amanda Siebe, a 35-year-old who lives in Hillsboro, Oregon, suffers from a chronic pain condition and has a compromised immune system, so she tries to avoid leaving the house.

But she struggles to stretch her SNAP benefit — $194 a month — in normal times, and she would love to have more cash now to be able to buy larger food quantities to limit grocery trips.

“We need food that will not only last the whole month but give us a little bit to stock up so we can get ahead without having to worry what’s gonna happen in the future,” Siebe said. “Especially because the majority of us cannot leave the house very often.”

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and can lead to death — meaning those people need to take special precautions.

The increased need for food aid and calls to make it more flexible come directly on the heels of a stalled Trump administration attempt to purge an estimated 700,000 people from SNAP rolls. The changes would have taken away states’ ability to waive a rule that able-bodied adults without dependents show a certain number of hours worked per month. A court blocked the changes, and the USDA vowed to appeal.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue now says he’s undecided and notes that the congressional virus relief package contains a blanket waiver on the work requirement — though the agency seems likely to revisit the issue in calmer times.

For now, with large parts of the economy shuttered, state governments are clamoring to expand the recipient ranks and cut the red tape.

In Pennsylvania, where Knight lives, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf on Thursday asked the agency to waive several requirements. He urged the federal government to expand a pilot program launched in New York and Washington state that allows people to use their debit-style benefit cards to order online groceries. Amazon and Walmart now accept SNAP payments online in Iowa, Nebraska, Oregon, Washington and New York, where ShopRite also accepts the payments. In Alabama, Wright’s Markets, Inc. accepts the online payments.

In Missouri, the state’s social services department requested and was granted waivers to extend SNAP certifications by six months so that people won’t be kicked out of the program during the pandemic.

Food security advocates recommend the government go further, giving states blanket latitude to adjust their programs.

That would allow states to expand their beneficiary ranks with minimal paperwork, said Ellen Vollinger, legal director for the Food Research and Action Center.

“One can imagine a set of waivers that are so common that every state would benefit,” she said.

Among the specific changes she recommends: eliminating the personal interview that precedes a recipient’s entry into the program — as Arizona’s governor requested — and allowing a recipient’s status in the program to automatically renew without paperwork.

The built-in flexibility of the program has proved vital in natural disasters that devastated individual cities or regions — and activists argue that SNAP benefits could be one of the core instruments used to help Americans endure a pandemic hitting the whole country at once.

“The benefits turn over quickly in the economy. They get spent,” Vollinger said.

PHOENIX (AP) — Yvonne Knight, who has respiratory problems that make her especially vulnerable in the coronavirus pandemic, can’t buy groceries online with her food stamps — even though each trip to the store is now a risky endeavor.Going out to buy food terrifies the 38-year-old woman with cerebral palsy, but she is one of millions of people who receive food aid through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that can’t be used in flexible ways.“Every time I go out, I put myself at risk — and other people,” said Knight, who lives in Erie, Pennsylvania. “I’m so terrified when people come up to me now. I don’t want to go out to the store.”Buying groceries online — which many Americans are doing to drastically reduce how often they leave their homes — is only open to SNAP recipients in six U.S. states, and Pennsylvania is not one of them.Now, state governments and food security activists across the country are imploring the U.S. Department of Agriculture to make the program more flexible and easier to access at a time when so many people are losing their jobs and turning to the government for support.The calls have even come from conservative states where lawmakers have tried to reduce or limit food aid.In Arizona, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey has asked the agency to waive interview requirements for applicants, allow families to purchase hot meals, waive work requirements for some and enact other changes that would help families deal with the economic fallout of the pandemic.Ashley St. Thomas, the public policy manager for the Arizona Food Bank Network, lauded the governor’s request, adding that relaxing requirements that program recipients prove they are working at least some hours each month is “critical right now” — especially as millions get laid off and jobs dry up for people who work in the informal or gig economies.Amanda Siebe, a 35-year-old who lives in Hillsboro, Oregon, suffers from a chronic pain condition and has a compromised immune system, so she tries to avoid leaving the house.But she struggles to stretch her SNAP benefit — $194 a month — in normal times, and she would love to have more cash now to be able to buy larger food quantities to limit grocery trips.“We need food that will not only last the whole month but give us a little bit to stock up so we can get ahead without having to worry what’s gonna happen in the future,” Siebe said. “Especially because the majority of us cannot leave the house very often.”For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and can lead to death — meaning those people need to take special precautions.The increased need for food aid and calls to make it more flexible come directly on the heels of a stalled Trump administration attempt to purge an estimated 700,000 people from SNAP rolls. The changes would have taken away states’ ability to waive a rule that able-bodied adults without dependents show a certain number of hours worked per month. A court blocked the changes, and the USDA vowed to appeal.Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue now says he’s undecided and notes that the congressional virus relief package contains a blanket waiver on the work requirement — though the agency seems likely to revisit the issue in calmer times.For now, with large parts of the economy shuttered, state governments are clamoring to expand the recipient ranks and cut the red tape.In Pennsylvania, where Knight lives, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf on Thursday asked the agency to waive several requirements. He urged the federal government to expand a pilot program launched in New York and Washington state that allows people to use their debit-style benefit cards to order online groceries. Amazon and Walmart now accept SNAP payments online in Iowa, Nebraska, Oregon, Washington and New York, where ShopRite also accepts the payments. In Alabama, Wright’s Markets, Inc. accepts the online payments.In Missouri, the state’s social services department requested and was granted waivers to extend SNAP certifications by six months so that people won’t be kicked out of the program during the pandemic.Food security advocates recommend the government go further, giving states blanket latitude to adjust their programs.That would allow states to expand their beneficiary ranks with minimal paperwork, said Ellen Vollinger, legal director for the Food Research and Action Center.“One can imagine a set of waivers that are so common that every state would benefit,” she said.Among the specific changes she recommends: eliminating the personal interview that precedes a recipient’s entry into the program — as Arizona’s governor requested — and allowing a recipient’s status in the program to automatically renew without paperwork.The built-in flexibility of the program has proved vital in natural disasters that devastated individual cities or regions — and activists argue that SNAP benefits could be one of the core instruments used to help Americans endure a pandemic hitting the whole country at once.“The benefits turn over quickly in the economy. They get spent,” Vollinger said.___

Governors plead for food stamp flexibility amid pandemic

Following is Monday's COVID-19 report from Saline County.

The Saline County Health Department has been notified of one additional positive COVID-19 case in a Saline County resident.

• This case is a female in her 50’s with no known contacts or recent travel.

This additional case brings the total to 7 in Saline County. At 11 am KDHE reported a total of 845 cases in Kansas. This is an increase of 98 positive cases in Kansas from yesterday.

The Saline County Health Department will continue to conduct contact investigations in this case as with the other cases. This is a process where the Health Department retraces a persons’ steps and activities so that they can identify anyone who may have been potentially exposed to COVID-19.

Governor Kelly’s Statewide Stay-at-Home order is still in effect. It cannot be stressed enough the importance of staying home and only going out for essential tasks. Saline County continues to receive reports of alleged non-compliance with the Statewide Stay-at-Home order. Alleged violations can be reported through our online submission form at <a href="http://www.saline.org">www.saline.org</a>.

• The City/County Building at 300 W. Ash will continue their restricted access into the building. If you have City or County business to conduct, you must have an appointment. Entry is only allowed through the North (ramp) doors.

Help our community in stopping the spread of this virus. Only follow official sources to obtain information: <a href="http://www.saline.org/coronavirus">www.saline.org/coronavirus</a> or <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov">www.kdheks.gov</a>.

Stay Safe, Stay Healthy and Stay at Home

Following is Monday's COVID-19 report from Saline County.The Saline County Health Department has been notified of one additional positive COVID-19 case in a Saline County resident.• This case is a female in her 50’s with no known contacts or recent travel.This additional case brings the total to 7 in Saline County. At 11 am KDHE reported a total of 845 cases in Kansas. This is an increase of 98 positive cases in Kansas from yesterday.The Saline County Health Department will continue to conduct contact investigations in this case as with the other cases. This is a process where the Health Department retraces a persons’ steps and activities so that they can identify anyone who may have been potentially exposed to COVID-19.Governor Kelly’s Statewide Stay-at-Home order is still in effect. It cannot be stressed enough the importance of staying home and only going out for essential tasks. Saline County continues to receive reports of alleged non-compliance with the Statewide Stay-at-Home order. Alleged violations can be reported through our online submission form at <a href="http://www.saline.org">www.saline.org</a>.Announcements:• The City/County Building at 300 W. Ash will continue their restricted access into the building. If you have City or County business to conduct, you must have an appointment. Entry is only allowed through the North (ramp) doors.Help our community in stopping the spread of this virus. Only follow official sources to obtain information: <a href="http://www.saline.org/coronavirus">www.saline.org/coronavirus</a> or <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov">www.kdheks.gov</a>.Stay Safe, Stay Healthy and Stay at Home

Saline County reports 7th COVID-19 case

TOPEKA (AP) —Gov. Laura Kelly says officials are scouring the state to find supplies to help frontline workers treating people with the coronavirus. 

The governor said Monday that Kansas should finish distributing supplies it received from a federal national stockpile by Tuesday. But she noted Kansas has not received any of the millions of supplies it has requested from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 

That comes on a day when Kansas reported confirmed COVID-19 cases rose to 845, nearly 100 more than on Sunday, with 25 deaths. Health Director Dr. Lee Norman said he expects the increases to continue, in part because more testing is being done.&nbsp;&nbsp;

TOPEKA —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman held a 40 minute press briefing Monday afternoon.

In addition to providing an update on the state's fight against coronavirus and their challenge to receive protective equipment and other supplies from the federal government, they answered dozens of questions.

Kansas is reporting nearly 100 more cases of the coronavirus, with 25 deaths. Health officials said 845 cases have been confirmed as of Monday morning, up from 747 cases on Sunday.&nbsp;

TOPEKA (AP) —Gov. Laura Kelly says officials are scouring the state to find supplies to help frontline workers treating people with the coronavirus. <div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F641538899757747%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The governor said Monday that Kansas should finish distributing supplies it received from a federal national stockpile by Tuesday. But she noted Kansas has not received any of the millions of supplies it has requested from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. That comes on a day when Kansas reported confirmed COVID-19 cases rose to 845, nearly 100 more than on Sunday, with 25 deaths. Health Director Dr. Lee Norman said he expects the increases to continue, in part because more testing is being done.&nbsp;&nbsp;-------TOPEKA —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman held a 40 minute press briefing Monday afternoon.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586200254131.png" alt="KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman during Monday's press briefing" />
 <figcaption>KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman during Monday's press briefing</figcaption>
 </figure>In addition to providing an update on the state's fight against coronavirus and their challenge to receive protective equipment and other supplies from the federal government, they answered dozens of questions.Kansas is reporting nearly 100 more cases of the coronavirus, with 25 deaths. Health officials said 845 cases have been confirmed as of Monday morning, up from 747 cases on Sunday.&nbsp;

 🎥 Gov. Kelly: Kansas is scouring the state for health supplies

The Kansas Department of Health released the latest coronavirus report just after noon Monday.&nbsp;

<a href="https://public.tableau.com/profile/kdhe.epidemiology#!/vizhome/COVID-19Data_15851817634470/KSCOVID-19CaseData">Click here</a> for additional details from the KDHE

The Kansas Department of Health released the latest coronavirus report just after noon Monday.&nbsp;<a href="https://public.tableau.com/profile/kdhe.epidemiology#!/vizhome/COVID-19Data_15851817634470/KSCOVID-19CaseData">Click here</a> for additional details from the KDHE<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586194267799.png" alt="Screen Shot 2020-04-06 at 12.30.08 PM.png" />
 <figcaption>Screen Shot 2020-04-06 at 12.30.08 PM.png</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas; 25 deaths

&nbsp;Tulsa, OK. (AP) — One Tulsa, Oklahoma, bar owner said more than a dozen motorcyclists showed up unannounced, but he served them a round of shots anyway to celebrate a birthday. Another live-streamed a drag queen show on Facebook while up to 20 people drank inside the locked bar, ignoring police when they knocked on the door.

Both were busted — and received misdemeanor citations and court dates — after police responded to tips that the bars were violating the mayor’s order shuttering all nonessential businesses to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.

<a href="https://www.sedgwickcounty.org/covid-19/stay-at-home-order-reporting/">Click here to see the Stay-at-home</a>&nbsp;order reporting form in Sedgwick County

“There has to be some consequence for violating an executive order,” said Tulsa Police Lt. Richard Meulenberg.

Snitches are emerging as enthusiastic allies as cities, states and countries work to enforce directives meant to limit person-to-person contact amid the virus pandemic that has claimed tens of thousands of lives worldwide. They’re phoning police and municipal hotlines, complaining to elected officials and shaming perceived scofflaws on social media.

In hard-hit New York City, police arrested the owner of an illegal Brooklyn speakeasy where a dozen people were found drinking and gambling after someone called 311 with a tip.

In Chicago, a yoga studio that believed it qualified as an essential health and wellness service was closed after the city — tipped off by several residents — disagreed. Teacher Naveed Abidi of Bikram Yoga West Loop studio said he thought the studio could remain open if the space was sanitized, class size limited and students stayed far enough apart.

“If we were naughty with the government’s order, then we’re very, very sorry” said Abidi, who faces a fine of up to $10,000. “We’re not here to cause problems, we’re here to practice our poses.”

For most people, the new virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

But the virus is spreading rapidly and starting to max out the health care system in several cities.

Naugatuck, Connecticut, resident Gwen Becker said she was “mortified” when she drove by a golf course and saw a crowd gathered around a food truck and eating at tables together. So she took a video that her friend posted on Facebook — prompting the mayor to shut down the course.

“I was angry and upset, and I threw some f-bombs,” said Becker, 54. “You’re not going to consider that what you’re doing could kill somebody?”

In some places, investigators are patrolling the streets, looking for violators.

A team enforcing Denver’s shelter-in-place order issued five citations — including to Hobby Lobby and a Game Stop franchise that claimed it was essential — and more than 600 warnings to businesses and individuals as of Tuesday, city spokesman Alton Dillard said. The team also patrols neighborhoods, parks and recreation areas. Hobby Lobby has now closed all their stores.

In Newark, New Jersey, police shut down 15 businesses in one night and cited 161 people for violating the governor’s restrictions, saying others would be next if they didn’t heed directives. And Maryland State Police said they’d conducted nearly 6,600 business and crowd compliance checks.

Chicago police even disbanded a funeral Sunday after seeing a group of up to 60 people, many elderly, congregating inside a church, police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said.

In some cases, residents are turning on neighbors.

Police in Spain — sometimes aided by videos and photos posted online by zealous residents, or “balcony police” — have arrested nearly 2,000 people and fined over 230,000 for violating quarantine orders.

In one viral video, the person recording it is heard criticizing a woman who decides to go for a jog and resists police orders to produce her ID card. Another shows a family of four heading to a supermarket carrying a scooter for one of their children while half a dozen neighbors yell at them from the window.

And in New Zealand, a police website set up for the public to report violators crashed after too many people tried to access it at once. Among the complaints were people playing rugby and Frisbee and holding impromptu “corona” parties, The Guardian reported.

Back in Tulsa, Lt. Meulenberg said the department’s call volume has increased substantially with residents ratting out businesses and neighbors alike, though they can’t respond to all of them.

“The fact that we have to do this at all means some people are not interested in self-preservation” or protecting others, Meulenberg said. “We’re not immunologists. We’re not scientists. We’re cops. We’re just trying to do our part.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585651445733.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Tulsa, OK. (AP) — One Tulsa, Oklahoma, bar owner said more than a dozen motorcyclists showed up unannounced, but he served them a round of shots anyway to celebrate a birthday. Another live-streamed a drag queen show on Facebook while up to 20 people drank inside the locked bar, ignoring police when they knocked on the door.Both were busted — and received misdemeanor citations and court dates — after police responded to tips that the bars were violating the mayor’s order shuttering all nonessential businesses to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.<a href="https://www.sedgwickcounty.org/covid-19/stay-at-home-order-reporting/">Click here to see the Stay-at-home</a>&nbsp;order reporting form in Sedgwick County“There has to be some consequence for violating an executive order,” said Tulsa Police Lt. Richard Meulenberg.It turns out plenty of people agree.Snitches are emerging as enthusiastic allies as cities, states and countries work to enforce directives meant to limit person-to-person contact amid the virus pandemic that has claimed tens of thousands of lives worldwide. They’re phoning police and municipal hotlines, complaining to elected officials and shaming perceived scofflaws on social media.In hard-hit New York City, police arrested the owner of an illegal Brooklyn speakeasy where a dozen people were found drinking and gambling after someone called 311 with a tip.In Chicago, a yoga studio that believed it qualified as an essential health and wellness service was closed after the city — tipped off by several residents — disagreed. Teacher Naveed Abidi of Bikram Yoga West Loop studio said he thought the studio could remain open if the space was sanitized, class size limited and students stayed far enough apart.“If we were naughty with the government’s order, then we’re very, very sorry” said Abidi, who faces a fine of up to $10,000. “We’re not here to cause problems, we’re here to practice our poses.”For most people, the new virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.But the virus is spreading rapidly and starting to max out the health care system in several cities.Naugatuck, Connecticut, resident Gwen Becker said she was “mortified” when she drove by a golf course and saw a crowd gathered around a food truck and eating at tables together. So she took a video that her friend posted on Facebook — prompting the mayor to shut down the course.“I was angry and upset, and I threw some f-bombs,” said Becker, 54. “You’re not going to consider that what you’re doing could kill somebody?”In some places, investigators are patrolling the streets, looking for violators.A team enforcing Denver’s shelter-in-place order issued five citations — including to Hobby Lobby and a Game Stop franchise that claimed it was essential — and more than 600 warnings to businesses and individuals as of Tuesday, city spokesman Alton Dillard said. The team also patrols neighborhoods, parks and recreation areas. Hobby Lobby has now closed all their stores.In Newark, New Jersey, police shut down 15 businesses in one night and cited 161 people for violating the governor’s restrictions, saying others would be next if they didn’t heed directives. And Maryland State Police said they’d conducted nearly 6,600 business and crowd compliance checks.Chicago police even disbanded a funeral Sunday after seeing a group of up to 60 people, many elderly, congregating inside a church, police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said.In some cases, residents are turning on neighbors.Police in Spain — sometimes aided by videos and photos posted online by zealous residents, or “balcony police” — have arrested nearly 2,000 people and fined over 230,000 for violating quarantine orders.In one viral video, the person recording it is heard criticizing a woman who decides to go for a jog and resists police orders to produce her ID card. Another shows a family of four heading to a supermarket carrying a scooter for one of their children while half a dozen neighbors yell at them from the window.And in New Zealand, a police website set up for the public to report violators crashed after too many people tried to access it at once. Among the complaints were people playing rugby and Frisbee and holding impromptu “corona” parties, The Guardian reported.Back in Tulsa, Lt. Meulenberg said the department’s call volume has increased substantially with residents ratting out businesses and neighbors alike, though they can’t respond to all of them.“The fact that we have to do this at all means some people are not interested in self-preservation” or protecting others, Meulenberg said. “We’re not immunologists. We’re not scientists. We’re cops. We’re just trying to do our part.”

Residents snitch on neighbors, businesses amid pandemic shutdown

Social distancing is currently the most effective way to slow the spread of COVID-19, according to the World Health Organization and the CDC.

Unacast created an interactive Scoreboard, updated daily, to empower organizations to measure and understand the efficacy of social distancing initiatives at the local level, according to their website.

The most recent report gave Missouri an F and dropped Kansas to a grade of D.&nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://www.unacast.com/covid19/social-distancing-scoreboard">Click here to see the grade for your county.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586171484435.png" alt="Unacast" />
 <figcaption>Unacast</figcaption>
 </figure>Social distancing is currently the most effective way to slow the spread of COVID-19, according to the World Health Organization and the CDC.Unacast created an interactive Scoreboard, updated daily, to empower organizations to measure and understand the efficacy of social distancing initiatives at the local level, according to their website.The most recent report gave Missouri an F and dropped Kansas to a grade of D.&nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://www.unacast.com/covid19/social-distancing-scoreboard">Click here to see the grade for your county.</a>

Compare your community's social distancing activity

The Salina Area Chamber of Commerce&nbsp; wants Salina to be strong.

On March 18, the chamber announced that it has launched a website&nbsp; -- titled “Salina Strong” -- to keep the chamber membership and business community up to date on business resources, workforce information, restaurant and retail businesses offering delivery, take-out, and curbside options, health and safety updates, and remote working tools.

The site is located at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.salinakansas.org/salina-strong.html">www.salinakansas.org/salina-strong.html</a>. It can be used as a one stop shop for information and assistance and will continuously be updated with information.

The full effect of COVID-19 remains to be fully realized but the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce is doing everything in its power to provide relevant and pertinent information and support to the business community, the chamber noted in a news release.

The Salina Area Chamber of Commerce&nbsp; wants Salina to be strong.On March 18, the chamber announced that it has launched a website&nbsp; -- titled “Salina Strong” -- to keep the chamber membership and business community up to date on business resources, workforce information, restaurant and retail businesses offering delivery, take-out, and curbside options, health and safety updates, and remote working tools.The site is located at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.salinakansas.org/salina-strong.html">www.salinakansas.org/salina-strong.html</a>. It can be used as a one stop shop for information and assistance and will continuously be updated with information.The full effect of COVID-19 remains to be fully realized but the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce is doing everything in its power to provide relevant and pertinent information and support to the business community, the chamber noted in a news release.

Don't forget: Chamber Salina Strong business support site

NEW YORK (AP) — Americans braced for what the nation’s top doctor warned Sunday would be “the hardest and saddest week” of their lives while Britain assumed the unwelcome mantle of deadliest coronavirus hot spot in Europe after a record 24-hour jump in deaths that surpassed even hard-hit Italy’s.

Britain’s own prime minister, Boris Johnson,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/193a0cfe074685144ade169084a68255">was hospitalized</a>, 10 days after testing positive for COVID-19 in what his office described as a “precautionary step.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586112457795.png" alt="U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams answers questions during a Coronavirus Task Force briefing at the White House on Friday." />
 <figcaption>U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams answers questions during a Coronavirus Task Force briefing at the White House on Friday.</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Americans braced for what the nation’s top doctor warned Sunday would be “the hardest and saddest week” of their lives while Britain assumed the unwelcome mantle of deadliest coronavirus hot spot in Europe after a record 24-hour jump in deaths that surpassed even hard-hit Italy’s.Britain’s own prime minister, Boris Johnson,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/193a0cfe074685144ade169084a68255">was hospitalized</a>, 10 days after testing positive for COVID-19 in what his office described as a “precautionary step.”Amid the dire news, there were also glimmers of hope some hard-hit areas — the number of people dying appeared to be slowing in New York City, Spain and Italy. The news was cautiously welcomed by leaders, who also noted that any gains could easily be reversed if people did not continue to adhere to strict lockdowns.U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams offered a stark warning about the expected wave of virus deaths.“This is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment, our 9/11 moment,” he told “Fox News Sunday.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586169391337.png" alt="President Trump on Sunday, "We are starting to see light at the end of the tunnel." -photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump on Sunday, "We are starting to see light at the end of the tunnel." -photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>But President Donald Trump later suggested the hard weeks ahead could foretell the turning of a corner. “We’re starting to see light at the end of the tunnel,” Trump said at an evening White House briefing.In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/09763bcbed9ff417b6eb5886155db66b">New York City, the U.S. epicenter of the pandemic</a>, daily deaths dropped slightly, along with intensive care admissions and the number of patients who needed breathing tubes inserted, but New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo warned it was “too early to tell” the significance of those numbers.Italy and Spain also got some encouraging news. Italy registered its lowest day-to-day increase in deaths in more than two weeks — 525, said Angelo Borrelli, the head of the national Civil Protection agency. The pace of infection also seemed to be slowing.Even so, Borrelli warned, “This good news shouldn’t make us drop our guard.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585696207171.png" alt="White House" />
 <figcaption>White House</figcaption>
 </figure>Confirmed infections fell in Spain, too, and new deaths declined for the third straight day, dropping to 674 — the first time daily deaths have fallen below 800 in the past week.The outlook, however, was bleak in Britain, which reported more than 600 deaths Sunday, surpassing Italy’s increase. Italy still has, by far, the world’s highest coronavirus death toll — almost 16,000.“I hope in the years to come, everyone will be able to take pride in how they responded to this challenge,” she said. “And those who come after us will say that the Britons of this generation were as strong as any.”<a href="https://apnews.com/faa93f9fde3483bb13a605fa0d400b0c">In a rare televised address</a>, Queen Elizabeth II appealed to Britons to rise the occasion, while acknowledging enormous disruptions, grief and financial difficulties.Johnson, meanwhile, has been hospitalized, though his office said it was not an emergency and that the 55-year-old Conservative will undergo tests.There are concerns that Johnson’s government did not take the virus seriously enough at first and that spring weather will tempt Britons and others to break social distancing rules.Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the U.K. might even ban outdoor exercise if people still ’’flout the rules.″“The vast majority of people are following the public health advice, which is absolutely critical, and staying at home,” Hancock told Sky TV. “But there are a small minority of people who are still not doing that — it’s quite unbelievable, frankly, to see that.”As the numbers of infections rose, Saffron Cordery, the deputy head of Britain’s National Health Service Providers, said the agency needed to focus on quickly increasing ventilator capacity and getting more protective equipment for health care workers.Italians have not been immune to lure of the good weather, either. Top Italian officials took to national television after photos were published showing huge crowds out shopping.Health Minister Roberto Speranza told RAI state television that all the sacrifices Italians have made since the nationwide lockdown began risked being reversed.Restrictions on movement vary from country to country, state to state, locality to locality. Swedes have been advised to practice social distancing, but schools, bars and restaurants remain open. In Germany and Britain, residents can get outdoors to exercise and walk their dogs, while in Serbia and South Africa, dog walking is not allowed.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585696236815.png" alt="White House" />
 <figcaption>White House</figcaption>
 </figure>The ACLU filed its first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/86171da74e787acf1a3c613a1c516311">lawsuit&nbsp;</a>over coronavirus restrictions, arguing in part that Puerto Rico’s curfew leaves people fearing arrest if they help elderly relatives by letting police determine who belongs in a family. A coastal community’s mayor in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/feecf34f9f49a2436246ef9451a683dc">Georgia</a>&nbsp;fears the governor’s mandate to open beaches will bring crowds to the small island with older residents and no medical facility.At the Vatican, Pope Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ab92b02d9729f12678f667d80abda876">blessed palms for Palm Sunday&nbsp;</a>in a near-empty St. Peter’s Basilica. At a New Orleans church, Rev. Emmanuel Mulenga blessed palm fronds and put them on a back table so people could get them while also observing social distancing.Worldwide, more than 1.2 million people have been confirmed infected and nearly 70,000 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. The true numbers are certainly much higher, due to limited testing, different ways nations count the dead and deliberate under-reporting by some governments.The vast majority of infected people recover from the virus, which is spread by microscopic droplets from coughs or sneezes. For most people, the virus causes mild to moderate symptoms such as fever and cough. But for some, especially older adults and the infirm, it can cause pneumonia and lead to death.The rapid spread of the virus in the United States has prompted a chaotic scramble for medical equipment and protective gear.An Associated Press&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/090600c299a8cf07f5b44d92534856bc">review</a>&nbsp;of purchasing contracts showed that federal agencies largely waited until mid-March — more than two months after the first warnings of a potential pandemic — to begin placing bulk orders of N95 respirator masks, mechanical ventilators and other equipment needed by front-line health care workers.By that time, hospitals in several states were treating thousands of infected patients without adequate equipment and pleading for shipments from the national stockpile. Now that stockpile is nearly drained just as the numbers of patients requiring critical care is surging.When asked about the issue, Trump said federal officials and the military had worked “a miracle.”Rebekah Gee, who heads the Louisiana State University’s health care services division, warned that the private and public sector have been competing with each other, leading to price increases.Gee said one of her colleagues went on eBay to buy gowns, while equipment her department ordered from China got stalled for weeks in Hong Kong.“Our whole country is at war with this virus,” said Gee, who once ran the state’s Department of Health. “This needs a coordinated approach, and right now that’s not happening.”Louisiana and the New Orleans area have been hard hit by the virus, and Gov. John Bel Edwards has repeatedly warned of looming equipment shortages.Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said he hoped the pace of new infections would plateau soon, but that the virus is unlikely to be eradicated this year.Speaking on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Fauci said the prospect of a resurgence is why the U.S. is working so hard to develop a vaccine and conducting clinical trials on treatments.Scientists are still learning about the virus that was first detected in late December in Wuhan, China. In what is believed to be the first known infection in an animal in the U.S., officials said Sunday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0f47b8e4f883579712599690e1752c09">a tiger at the Bronx Zoo had tested positive</a>.___

Coronavirus Update