Sedgwick County and its health department are working on communication efforts to get more information to the community about the coronavirus.
County manager Tom Stolz told county commissioners Wednesday there have been weekly meetings with local agencies at the emergency operations center, and meetings have been held with department heads. He said county health officials will also take part in a panel discussion scheduled for March 16th on KWCH. County commissioners will also get a briefing each week at their regular meeting, and there are discussions about a telephone town hall meeting to get information to citizens.
Stolz said county officials are also looking for unique ways to connect with the most vulnerable population, people over 60 with chronic health conditions. County health director Adrienne Byrne said the county will be working with long-term care facilities and reviewing their infection control procedures. She said there will also be discussions with local pharmacies on ways to get information to people on the coronavirus.
Byrne said there are no positive cases of COVID-19 in Sedgwick County, and the health department will only report on positive cases, rather than people under investigation. She said there has been some confusion and there is a difference between people being tested and people who are positive, so the county will only report on any positive cases. Byrne said at some point a county resident will test positive, likely due to travel exposure.
Only one confirmed case of coronavirus has been reported in Kansas, a woman in Johnson County who had recently traveled to the northeastern United States. She has been hospitalized in Kansas City, and health officials said she is doing well.
