CHANUTE — National Guardsmen are assisting with testing in Neosho County following a spike in active COVID-19 cases.
The Chanute Tribune reported Tuesday that Neosho County has 645 active cases of COVID-19, up more than 200 from the week prior, citing the Neosho County Health Department.
Neosho County Health Department Administrator Teresa Starr requested help from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, leading to the Guardsmen’s arrival this week to help administer tests at mobile sites around Chanute.
“These soldiers get to come together and help support the mission,” Army National Guard Major Jeff Mincks told the Tribune. “Without these guys that step up and tell our units that they’re willing to volunteer, we can’t successfully complete the mission. So it’s nice that we have people step forward and volunteer to help out in a time of need in the state of Kansas.”
Dr. David Guernsey, family physician and president of Ashley Clinic, told the Tributne the omicron surge has made things hectic both at the clinic and at nearby Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center.
“Our hospital is very full with lots of COVID-19 people, and we’ve been having COVID deaths, too,” Guernsey told the paper. “It’s been really rough.”
He recounted treating a patient with a heart condition local who would have been transferred out to a larger facility under normal circumstances.
“A lot of COVID patients are there for at least a week or two, so it takes up beds,” he he said.
“Children, mostly, are doing pretty good,” he said. “They have more cold-like symptoms. A lot of adults get really bad fatigue, achiness, fever — and feel like they’re going to die. And we’re still seeing people die from it. Last week, I think we had someone die from it almost every day. It’s still a very deadly disease.”
Guernsey said he’s hopeful the omicron surge will soon subside.
“We’ve seen that with previous strains, where it kind of peaks and then levels off,” he said. “I expect we’ll see that again with this, probably in the next couple weeks.”
Guernsey added that citizens can chip into the effort by keeping themselves safe.
“This is the worst it has ever been, right now,” he said. “We’re not done with it yet.”
