In its latest update Friday, the Riley County Health Department reported 37 new positive COVID-19 cases since Wednesday and 10 additional recoveries, bringing the active case count to 127 and the number of recoveries to 2,076.
Two patients are currently experiencing symptoms severe enough to require hospitalizations. The health department also continues to monitor four active outbreaks and says three additional cases have been attributed to an Oct. 17 wedding held in Manhattan. The number of active cases from that wedding has grown to 40.
In Pottawatomie County, 41 were added to the recovered list, as the active case count fell to 23 since Wednesday’s report. One positive patient remains in the hospital.
The Riley County Health Department is still requiring event permits for any gathering of more than 50 people, including weddings, which have been a common source of outbreaks statewide.
Riley County will host another free drive-up testing event Thursday at Pottorf Hall in CiCo Park. It will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Kids who get tested will receive a free book from Raising Riley.
Additionally Friday, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Friday confirmed 3,136 new cases, 22 additional deaths and 80 more hospitalizations since Wednesday’s report. Since the pandemic first presented in March, KDHE has reported 85,181 cases, 3,382 hospitalizations and 1,029 deaths across the state.
Gov. Laura Kelly’s office announced Friday that the State Finance Council has unanimously approved investing up to $45 million more in COVID-19 testing statewide and to provide $20 million more for small businesses.
That money comes from the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) which is part of the federal CARES Act.
KDHE determined it could invest up to $95 million to implement its unified testing strategy and with the actions announced Friday, it will have the ability to invest up to $95 million in testing.
The State Finance Council has also approved providing the Office of Recovery the authority to redistribute any unused funds among previously approved programs. The CRF requires funds to be used by Dec. 30, 2020.
