Following is the Saline County COVID-19 update for Friday.
Since our last update on Monday, November 9 we have received notification of 190 new positive COVID-19 cases in Saline County and unfortunately one additional death. The total for the County is now 1,603 with 366 cases that are actively being monitored by the Health Department, 1,220 that have recovered, and a total of 17 deaths. Salina Regional Health Center notified us that they have 17 hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Our dashboard has been updated with the latest information:
●Mobile Device Users: https://arcg.is/yjPT1
●Desktop Users: https://arcg.is/1qHnb0
“We have already surpassed the total number of new cases for October in the first 13 days of November. The Health Department is extremely overwhelmed with the number of new case investigations,” said Jason Tiller, Saline County Health Officer. “With the excessive amount of cases, it slows down our staff in the ability to contact new cases quickly. A single case investigation can take a few hours; but with any amount of complexity, one case can take an entire day to properly investigate.” “Please be patient with us, it may take several days before all contacts in one case can be called. Our staff continues to work very hard to do what is required of them. Please be patient, please be kind.”
If you have been tested for COVID-19, you need to isolate in your home until your test results are back. Those that are notified of a positive COVID-19 test you should:
●Isolate for at minimum 10 days from symptom onset and be 72 hours fever free and have a significant improvement in symptoms.
●Close Contacts are defined as those persons within 6 feet or less for 10 minutes of more two days before the positive cases’ symptom onset date.
●Close Contacts need to quarantine for two weeks from their last contact date unless living in the same household, and then it would be two weeks past the positive case’s isolation release date.
●If after several days, the Health Department has not reached out to a close contact, the Health Department may not have been notified of the contact exposure and you will need to notify the Health Department; but please be patient and continue to quarantine until then.
According to the Kansas Department of Health & Environment, there are now 115,507 cases and 1,256 deaths statewide. This information can be found at https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/.
Announcements:
●A shelter site, at no cost to an individual, is available for those who cannot isolate or quarantine in their homes and who have tested positive for COVID-19, those individuals who have been exposed to someone who has tested positive, and those living and working in at-risk congregate settings. This shelter does provide for housing, meals, laundry, and cleaning service so individuals are provided a safe shelter to avoid exposing their household to the COVID-19 virus and help stop the spread of the virus. For more information or to request this service, please contact your local Emergency Management Department at 785-714-0389 or 785-819-0263 if you need shelter outside of your home.
Following the proven public health guidance to slow the spread of COVID-19 continues to be extremely important for everyone to do. Please:
- Wash your hands often, for at least 20 seconds with warm soapy water. Use hand sanitizer if you do not have access to soap and water.
- Maintain physical distance between yourself and others of at least 6 feet or more.
- Wear masks in public spaces as required by City Ordinance and County Resolution. Masks do not prevent you from getting COVID-19, the flu, or other contagious diseases but they do, however, prevent other people from catching certain diseases from you. You must cover your nose and mouth for masks to be effective.
- Sanitize frequently touched surfaces and areas such as doorknobs, handles, cell phones, tablets, etc.
- Stay home if you are sick. Regardless if you think it may be a cold, it could be allergies, but it also could be something worse.
Only follow official sources to obtain information: www.saline.org/coronavirus or www.kdheks.gov.