Additional notifications of positive diagnosis of COVID-19 in Clay County this week have raised the county total to 23 cases. The latest two cases are not from contact with known cases of COVID-19 in our county. Contact tracing has just begun on these new cases, but early indications are that the exposures occurred during travel to locations outside of Clay County.
Official case numbers show a total of 23 positive diagnoses of COVID-19 have been made in Clay County residents. Clay County Health Department reports that 19 of the listed Clay County cases have met the recommended recovery criteria and those individuals have been released from isolation. A total of four Clay County residents were hospitalized during their illness and two Clay County residents have died from the disease. Nearly 3 dozen individuals in Clay County are currently in quarantine after being identified as close contacts of known positive cases of the disease.
All Clay County residents are reminded that following the recommended guidelines of maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet from persons that do not live in your household and wearing a mask in public spaces is the best way to stay safe. Make sure that all household members are following the recommended social distancing, mask wearing and hand washing procedures at all times. If you travel to other areas, be aware that many cities and counties have much higher rates of COVID-19 than Clay County’s case rate and many of those areas do have community spread of the disease. Several jurisdictions in Kansas have implemented mandatory mask orders. If mandatory mask orders are in place at your destination, you will be required to wear a mask in public places.
The number of positive cases in Kansas counties is updated every Monday, Wednesday and Friday on the KDHE website at www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas.
The Clay County Health Officer, Health Department staff and the Emergency Management Agency will continue to do our best to inform Clay County citizens of the information they need to know to make good decisions for their families and their businesses as this pandemic continues to spread.
Information about COVID-19 is available on the KDHE and CDC websites at www.kdheks.gov and www.cdc.gov. Also visit the Clay County Health Department and Clay County Kansas Emergency Management Facebook pages. For general information, contact the KOHE phone bank at 1-866-534-3463 (1-866-KDHEINF) or email COVID-19@ks.gov. You may also contact the Clay County Health Department at 785-632-3193 or email covid19@claycountykansas.org.