TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas expects an influx of coronavirus tests in the compig weeks that should help with efforts to bring the pandemic under control, the state’s top health official says.
Dr. Lee Norman, Kansas secretary of health and environment, said Wednesday that he expects to have up to 64,000 test kits that can produce results in 45 minutes, the Lawrence Journal-World reports.
“Very clearly we need to do population studies, meaning testing people who are well,” Norman said. “It’s very fundamental work and will push the analysis (of the virus) upstream. But until that time, social distancing is the name of the game.”
Health officials reported 482 confirmed cases of the virus in Kansas on Wednesday, up 54 from a day earlier. Also, the number of deaths related to COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, grew to 11.
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has issued a statewide stay-at-home-order as part of efforts to slow the virus’ spread, but getting everyone to follow it has proved challenging.
The Shawnee Mission School District, which is among the state’s largest with more than 27,000 students, announced that it would begin issuing trespassing warnings Thursday for people who violate social distancing rules at its fields and stadiums.
Those facilities remain open so people can exercise. But officials say the district and local police departments have received numerous complaints about large groups playing organized sports.
People are supposed to stay at least 6 feet (1.83 meters) from each other and not gather in groups of more than 10.
For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.
