SWKS COVID-19 update

Finney County added four new positive confirmed COVID-19 cases with an overall total of 6,009 as of Friday, with an increase to 17 active positive cases being monitored.

Of the Finney County cases, there is one individual currently hospitalized as of Friday, and there has been a total to 49 deaths.  A total of 10,893 cases have tested negative for COVID-19. There are 14 cases pending as of Friday. The positivity rate for this week has decreased to zero percent.

As of Friday evening, vaccines are now open for the following population groups in Finney County: critical manufacturing (Unifirst, International Paper, etc.); Logistics workers (transportation couriers, semi-truck  drivers; Uber/Lyft drivers, office staff of trucking companies, etc.); shelter and housing (construction, finance such as banks, real estate agents, housing authority, CPA offices, insurance companies, etc.); information technology and communication workers; crisis and rehab services, homeless.

Also included are:  people aged 55-64 who are medically compromised; restaurant employees; hotel and motel staff; attorneys and law office staff; salon and barbershop employees; utility workers (HVAC, plumbing, electric, gas, oil, etc.); agriculture; grocery store employees; postal services (USPS, UPS, FedEx, etc.); transportation (airport, City Link, taxi); city/county/state employees (including DMV); educational staff (USD 457, USD 363, GCCC, private schools, etc.); licensed daycares; people aged 65 and older; licensed clergy; first responders (law enforcement, firefighters, corrections); long-term care facility employees and residents; healthcare personnel. 

At this time, vaccinations are only for those who live or work in Finney County, according to the Finney County Health Department.  Vaccines available to Finney County residents include the two-dose Moderna and the single-dose Janssen. 

The FCHD has set up an online COVID-19 Resource Hub for Finney County at:  

https://finney-county-coronavirus-response-finneycountygis.hub.arcgis.com

SOUTHWEST KANSAS NUMBERS

Ford County saw nine new positive confirmed additional cases, moving its overall total to 5,676 as of Friday. Seward County added four positive cases to its total of 3,829.   Stevens County increased by two cases as of Friday for an overall total of 552. Haskell and Scott Counties each added one case for totals of 471 and 576, respectively.  Numbers in other southwest Kansas counties remained constant through Friday.

Here’s a look at the overall totals of positive confirmed COVID-19 cases, listed by the KDHE, as of 12:30 p.m. on Friday.

Finney - 6,009

Ford -  5,676

Grant -  932

Gray -  556

Greeley - 104

Hamilton -  201

Haskell  -  417

Kearny  -  560

Lane  -  125

Meade -  502

Morton -  254

Scott  -  576

Seward -  3,829

Stanton -  184

Stevens -  552

Wichita Co. - 216

The state of Kansas has over 301,400 confirmed positive cases as of Friday.

The Finney County Health Department recommends practicing preventative actions such as social distancing, washing your hands regularly, and wearing a cloth face mask when in spaces where social distancing is difficult.

Call Finney County’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Hotline, at (620) 272-3600 , 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, if you have recently traveled to a known infected area, have had exposure to someone who has COVID-19, or are experiencing mild to severe respiratory illness, including fever, chills, headache, sore throat, lower respiratory illness (cough, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing), loss of taste or smell.