For more information: www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus
2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Kansas Test Results
Updated 3/26/20 at 11 a.m.

Total Positive Cases
168
Private Labs
111
Kansas Health and Environmental Lab (KHEL)
57
Deaths (included in above numbers)
3
Out-of-State Resident Positive Cases*
(not counted in Kansas numbers)
2

Total Negative Cases for Kansans
2,869
Positive Case Information
County Number

Bourbon
1
Mitchell
2
Butler
3
Morris
2
Cherokee
2
Neosho
1
Crawford
3**
Pottawatomie
1
Doniphan
1
Reno
4
Douglas
13*
Riley
1
Franklin
1
Sedgwick
16
Jackson
1
Shawnee
4
Johnson
59
Sumner
1
Leavenworth
12
Woodson
1
Linn
4
Wyandotte
34
Lyon
3
*Ford and Miami Counties reported positive cases in out-of-state residents.
**1 case in Douglas and 2 cases in Crawford are presumptive positive at a reference lab, but were not confirmed through the KDHE lab, so are included in the county numbers, but not in the overall state total or demographics at this time.

Demographics
Gender

Female
78

Male
90

Age Range
Age range on patients is 7 to 90 years of age, with a median age of 54.

Public Visitation

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) continues to closely monitor the COVID-19 Coronavirus crisis and remains vigilant in implementing appropriate safety protocols to ensure public use areas remain safe and open to the public.

In counties with local Stay At Home mandates, KDWPT will work with local officials regarding any other restrictions. State parks, state fishing lakes and wildlife areas remain open.

License Fees

KDWPT is not currently considering waiving fishing license fees. KDWPT is funded solely from the sale of licenses and permits, and that funding is crucial to keeping gates and facilities open and law enforcement in place.

“During this time of unprecedented changes, there is value in those things that can stay consistent,” said Secretary Brad Loveless. “We’re committed to keeping Kansas’ state parks, state fishing lakes and wildlife areas open so that Kansans can continue to safely enjoy the outdoors. To achieve this, we must keep game wardens, public land managers, and park staff working in the field.”

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic currently impacting all states, including Kansas, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Kansas Department of Agriculture strongly encourage all land owners and managers to voluntarily reduce the number of acres that they intend to burn this spring.

“With the potential for this pandemic overwhelming the state’s medical facilities, any additional respiratory concerns that could be produced from breathing smoke from prescribed fire need to be mitigated,” Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary, said.

Common health problems related to smoke can include burning eyes, runny nose, coughing and illnesses such as bronchitis. Individuals with respiratory issues, including COVID-19, pre-existing heart or lung diseases, children and the elderly may experience worse symptoms.

With resources of the county emergency response staff already being taxed with COVID-19 response, it is important to minimize responses that would come with prescribed fire activity.

It is critical that land managers in areas included in the Smoke Model available online at ksfire.org consult the model if they do choose to burn. The model indicates the level at which a burn would contribute to urban area air quality problems. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam urges land managers to refrain from burning, especially if your area is predicted in the large (red) contribution range.

“Prescribed burning is a valuable land management tool in the efforts to fight invasive species and maximize land productivity, and this request should not be interpreted as an indictment of the practice of burning,” Beam said. “However, the circumstances surrounding the coronavirus pandemic have created a situation that calls for reducing burned acres this spring.”

For the latest information related to COVID-19, and to sign up for daily updates sent to your email inbox, visit the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s COVID-19 Resource Center at www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus.

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Governor Laura Kelly appointed Jodi Guetterman, Kevin Dieckmann and reappointed Kamyar Nikoomanesh to the Kansas Agricultural Remediation Board.

The Board administers the Kansas Agricultural Remediation Fund and the remediation reimbursement program.

“Remediation is an important tool for production agriculture, public health, and environmental stewardship,” Kelly said. “The Board serves the important purpose of reimbursing Kansas farmers for these expenses, and I know that these appointees will work diligently to do so.”

Guetterman, Bucyrus, has been appointed to the seat reserved for agricultural producers.

Dieckmann, Olathe, has been appointed to the specialty chemical distributor seat.

Nikoomanesh, Lenexa, has been reappointed to the seat reserved for agricultural processors, and was also appointed as Chair of the board.