TOPEKA, Kan. — Surging pandemic numbers are straining hospitals across Kansas just days before Thanksgiving gatherings that public health officials fear could worsen the outbreak.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported on Monday 95 new hospitalizations. The state’s COVID-19 dashboard showed that 240 coronavirus patients were in ICU units, with 36% of ICU capacity remaining in Kansas. State health officials added 7,526 cases to the state’s pandemic tally since Friday, bringing the total to more than 142,000. The data showed that Kansas averaged 2,760 new confirmed and probable coronavirus a day for the seven days ending Monday.
The number of COVID-19 related deaths also rose by 46 to 1,456.