Following is the Saline County COVID-19 update for Wednesday.
Sadly, we have been notified of seven additional deaths related to COVID-19. There are 192 new positive COVID-19 cases in Saline County since our last update on Monday, November 30th. The total number of positive cases for Saline County is now 2,619 with 665 cases that are actively being monitored by the Health Department, 1,925 that have recovered, and a total of 29 deaths. Salina Regional Health Center notified us that they have 30 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 appreciate everyone who is following the guidelines for public gatherings, mask ordinances, and quarantine protocols. You are saving lives. We anticipate receiving more changes to these protocols from the Center for Disease Control and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment in the coming days. While it will take some time to implement these changes across our community, we will keep the public informed about what to expect. This is an ever-evolving situation. Please continue to follow official sources to obtain the most accurate information possible.
Health Department staff continue to be overwhelmed and several days behind with contacting new positive cases and close contacts. We have added staff and some cases being routed to contact tracers at KDHE, but still, we are behind. Thank you for your patience. If you have tested positive or you are known to be a close contact, please do not call the Health Department unless at least three days have passed and you have not heard from us. We understand that for both employees and employers, quarantine or isolation documentation may be necessary to verify a leave of absence. However, with being several days behind, we are unable to produce the necessary documentation immediately.
According to the Kansas Department of Health & Environment, there are now 162,061 cases and 1,679 deaths statewide. This information can be found at https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/.
Following the proven public health guidance to slow the spread of COVID-19 continues to be extremely important for everyone to do. Please:
1. 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.
2. Maintain physical distance between yourself and others of at least 6 feet or more.
3. Wear masks in public spaces as required by City Ordinance and County Resolution. You must cover your nose and mouth for masks to be effective.
4. By Public Health Order, gatherings are limited to 15 persons or less (with certain exceptions for establishments).
5. Sanitize frequently touched surfaces and areas such as doorknobs, handles, cell phones, tablets, etc.
6. 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.