Following is the Saline County Health Department COVID-19 update for Wednesday. Because of the Christmas holiday, the last update was a week ago.
●Saline County hit a grim milestone this week marking more than 10,000 people in Saline County who have tested positive for COVID-19.
●Three additional members of our community have lost their life to COVID-19 since our last update on Dec. 22.
●There have been 196 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Saline County since our last update.
●Salina Regional Health Center reports that 22 people are currently hospitalized due to COVID-19.
●The Saline County Health Department staff is currently monitoring 959 patients with issues related to COVID-19.
More data and additional information can be found on the Saline County Coronavirus webpage, KDHE COVID-19 Information Site, and CDC COVID-19 Tracker.
Click here for local COVID-19 testing options
COVID Vaccination Update for Saline County
●An additional 203 people were vaccinated against COVID-19 this week, an increase of .3 percent.
●A total of 28,887 residents of Saline County have been vaccinated, accounting for 53.3 percent of the total population.
Click here for vaccination locations
The best way to stop the spread of COVID-19 and thus prevent mutation of the virus is:
●Stay home if you are sick.
●Get tested if you feel unwell, even if you don’t believe it is COVID. You can find testing centers at VaccinateSalineCountyKS.com/testing or contact your local medical provider.
●Get vaccinated. You can find a vaccine at vaccines.gov or contact your local medical provider.
●Wear a mask, especially if you are not fully vaccinated. If you are fully vaccinated, wear a mask when indoors in crowded spaces.
●Maintain at least6 feet of distancebetween yourself and those with whom you do not live.
●Do not travel to “hot spots."
●If you test positive, isolate immediately and be open and honest with COVID caseworkers about your contacts.