Coronavirus

Sedgwick County Tightens COVID-19 Restrictions, Adds Fine For Violations

By • Nov 10, 2020
Fernando Salazar / Wichita Journalism Collaborative

In response to the rising number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the area, Sedgwick County is tightening restrictions on bars, restaurants and businesses that draw large crowds.

Wichita Middle And High Schools To Remain Remote-Only After Board Reverses Decision

By • Nov 9, 2020
Chris, flickr Creative Commons

WICHITA — The Wichita Board of Education canceled its plan to let middle and high school students back into the classroom on Thursday as coronavirus cases surge in Sedgwick County.

The vote was 5-2 with board members Ben Blankley and Mike Rodee voting against the motion.

"It’s a disservice to continue in a full remote model for secondary learners even considering our community transmission," Blankley said at Monday night's meeting.

Board member Stan Reeser said he wanted to reopen schools, but that the coronavirus numbers forced him to vote otherwise.

Kansas Exceeds 100K Coronavirus Cases As Mask Debate Rages

By • Nov 9, 2020
Kansas News Service/File photo

TOPEKA — Kansas on Monday reported another record seven-day spike in coronavirus cases, pushing the state past 100,000 for the pandemic as officials wrestled with getting more residents to wear masks.

Mayor, Wichita City Council In Quarantine After Council Member Tests Positive For COVID-19

By • Nov 8, 2020
wichita.gov

The pandemic has arrived at Wichita City Hall.

Mayor Brandon Whipple, the City Council, City Manager Robert Layton and other city employees are in quarantine for two weeks after council member Brandon Johnson tested positive for COVID-19.

Kansas Adds Record-Setting 5,418 New COVID-19 Cases

By • Nov 7, 2020
Jim McLean / Kansas News Service/File photo

MISSION, Kan. — Kansas added a record-setting 5,418 new coronavirus cases Friday as hospitals warned that staffing was being seriously strained and the state’s top public health official said many local officials "haven’t done anything" to check the surge.

As COVID-19 Patients Fill Wichita Hospitals, Doctors Ask Community For Help

By • Nov 6, 2020
iStock illustration

On Monday, Sedgwick County’s COVID-19 dashboard reached a worrying milestone: For the first time since the pandemic began, all 208 of the county’s ICU beds were full, if only momentarily.

While The Coronavirus Pandemic Rages On, Kansas Families Flock To Get Their Flu Shots

By • Nov 6, 2020

This year, nurses in southeast Kansas are taking a NASCAR-style approach in the race against the flu.

Imagine a pit crew, said Lori Rexwinkle, head of nursing at a community health center that serves 10 counties. Except instead of speed-swapping tires, this team vaccinates passengers. Got a van full of kids? Just pull it on up.

“We had several different nurses going out to the vehicle at the same time,” Rexwinkle said. “Parents appreciated that.”

Past Recessions Led More Kansans To Community Colleges, But Not This Time

By • Nov 2, 2020
Stephan Bisaha / Kansas News Service

Kansas community colleges should be having a good year.

No crowded, germy dorms. Most of their students don’t need to travel. Plus, community colleges are cheaper and normally thrive in a bad economy.

Instead, they actually lost students. Enrollment fell more than 14% this fall. That’s causing the experts who track the industry to wonder about past assumptions.

Western Kansas Is Full Of Coronavirus Hot Spots, Tying Up ICU Beds

By • Nov 2, 2020

For the first time during the pandemic, Dr. Drew Miller was unable to send a severely ill COVID patient to the intensive care unit.

Miller and other staff at the Kearny County Hospital, in southwestern Kansas, had done what they could last weekend, putting the patient on a maximum oxygen flow. But the closest ICU in the area was one county over — St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City — and it was full. The nearest open ICU bed was in Kansas City, seven hours away.

Wichita Public Schools Holds Course To Reopen Middle, High Schools Despite COVID-19 Increases

By • Oct 30, 2020
Stephan A Bisaha / KMUW

The Wichita school board decided to move forward with its plan to transition middle and high school students to in-person learning.

The board held a special meeting on Friday to discuss the worsening coronavirus pandemic in Sedgwick County. The positive rate for COVID-19 testing has risen from 5.4% on Oct. 1 to 14.5% on Thursday, the last day data was available on Sedgwick County’s coronavirus dashboard.

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