Update 8 a.m. Saturday
Geary County officials report an additional corrections officer tested positive Friday for a total of three positive tests.
One inmate has tested positive as well.
Update Friday
The Geary County Sheriff’s Office says it tested all Correctional Officers Friday for the novel coronavirus as well as all inmates currently housed in the Geary County Jail.
This comes after two corrections officers tested positive for COVID-19 Thursday. At-risk employees were also tested.
The testing was done in collaboration with health officials from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas Division of Emergency Management, Geary Community Hospital, Geary County Health Department and Geary County Emergency Management.
Original story Friday 6:20 a.m.
The Geary County Sheriff’s Office says two corrections officers have tested positive for COVID-19.
The Sheriff’s Office says its working with the Geary County Health Officer to carry out contact tracing. The second officer who was confirmed positive was tested due to having direct contact with the first according to Captain David Gilbert.
The Sheriff’s Office had planned a press conference at their headquarters Friday to discuss a new partnership with Manhattan Area Technical College. That press conference has been postponed.
In Riley County, one new positive case was announced Thursday, bringing the overall total to 68 and the total number of active cases to nine.
The new patient is a 35-year-old female and the health department says disease investigation and contact tracing is underway.
Ascension Via Christi Hospital also currently has two positive patients, both on ventilators and one person under investigation.
