MCPHERSON -- The McPherson County Health Department this evening reported 103 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing the county total to 905.
Of that total, 512 have either met Kansas Department of Health and Environment recovery guidelines or died and six of the active cases are hospitalized, the health department reported.
"As cases continue to rapidly increase, McPherson County Health Department is experiencing a delay in response time to begin investigations and contact tracing. KDHE is experiencing similar delays. Please know our team of 8 are working tirelessly to contact cases, close contacts and answer questions coming in. Please be aware that if you or someone you know has been tested, they may receive a call from KDHE Epidemiologists as they help us manage our case load. If you are not sure if it is a real call, ask for their callback number and then please call McPherson County Health Department and we can confirm that it is a legitimate investigator," the health department noted in a news release.
"Our communities are going to be making difficult decisions surrounding how to proceed as cases climb and the healthcare system is strained. Please note these decisions are not made lightly but are vital to the future of our communities. We want to keep 'business as usual,' our children in schools, our workplaces functioning in person, and our healthcare system well-equipped. Each individual McPherson County resident plays an important role in our communities, part of which includes keeping our society healthy. If you fell lax or less cautious during Phase 3, now is the time to be more cautious and diligent in the choices we make. Stay home, stay safe, and wear a mask," the release continued.
Following is the updated case data as provided by the health department.
• New cases since last public release: 103
• Asymptomatic: 33
• Cases with unknown exposure: 421
• Cases 60 years old and above: 258
• Cases 50-59 years old: 122
• Cases 40-49 years old: 126
• Cases 30-39 years old: 113
• Cases 18-29 years old: 198
• Cases under 18 years old: 88
• Female cases: 476
• Male cases: 429
• Hospitalized cases (may not represent current hospitalizations): 37
• Ventilated cases (may not represent current ventilated cases): 5
• Deaths: 8