Allen County reported its first death from COVID-19 this week.
The Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Departments reported the death late Monday but did not provide details. Multiple social media accounts, however, indicate a man from Humboldt died over the weekend after becoming ill about 10 days earlier.
A Bourbon County resident also died from the virus in the past week, bringing the total number of COVID-19 deaths in that county to three. Anderson and Woodson, the other two counties that comprise the SEKMHD, have not reported any deaths.
Allen County’s case count grew by three this week for a total of 57. One person remains hospitalized.
Cases have increased in recent weeks in all area counties. Rebecca Johnson, director of SEKMHD, attributes the increase to the reopening of schools and businesses, as well as more social activities taking place.
Johnson also said she continues to recommend counties ask residents to wear masks when in public. Allen County is one of the few counties in the state with a mask mandate.
“The rates in our counties are somewhat mixed, but I have personally seen many people not wearing masks as much in public,” she said. “Bourbon County’s case rate has had a large uptick in cases lately and had 14 new cases over the weekend. I would attribute a majority of cases to lack of social distancing and lack of wearing masks.”
In other area counties:
Anderson reported four new cases, bringing the total to 62.
Bourbon reported 28 new cases for a total of 175, with three deaths. Woodson reported four new cases for a total of 17.
Elsewhere in southeast Kansas, Neosho County has reported 135 cases and Crawford County has 975 cases.
Statewide, Kansas saw an increase of 1,674 new cases over the weekend and four new deaths for a total of 53,959 cases and 600 deaths.
Advertisement
Advertisement
