public health

Officials with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) say a Douglas County resident is under investigation for potential exposure to the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

Specimens were sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for testing and officials expect to receive results later this week.

Operation Immunization, a partnership between the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy-Wichita and the United Way of the Plains, will provide free flu vaccinations next month.

The vaccinations will be provided on a first-come, first-serve basis while supplies last. To be eligible, children must be at least 6 years old and accompanied by a parent or guardian.

The 10th annual event hopes to aid people who are unemployed, uninsured or unable to afford vaccines as flu season approaches.

A new report on the overall health of Kansas ranks Sedgwick County in the bottom fourth of the state.

The 2019 County Health Rankings Report helps counties understand how healthy their residents are and how long they will live by examining health data.

The report ranked 102 of the 105 counties in Kansas from healthiest to unhealthiest based on two broad categories: health factors and health outcomes.

For the 2019 Health Factors category, Sedgwick County ranked 87 of 102 for the second year in a row. In 2017, it ranked 79.

Lake Afton is closed to all water contact due to a blue-green algae outbreak.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment issued a public health warning Friday for the upcoming weekend and next week. The warning is effective immediately for the entire lake.

Sedgwick County said in a news release that prohibited water contact includes swimming and water skiing. The county said fishing is permitted but fish kept for eating should be prepared using guidelines established by KDHE.