CDC puts 11 Kansas counties at high COVID-19 community level this week. What to know

Lindsay Smith

The number of Kansas counties at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s high COVID-19 community level continues to rise, with 11 counties at high as of Friday, two more than last week and seven more than the week before.

The counties at the high level are Greeley, Wichita, Ness, Hodgeman, Ford, Gray, Meade, Clark, Clay, Washington and Marshall. Sedgwick County remains at low.

In counties at high, the CDC recommends masking in public, indoor places. That recommendation extends to medium-level counties for those at greater risk for severe illness.

The CDC updates the metric each Thursday for U.S. counties and bases the assessment on the number of new cases and hospitalizations per 100,000 people (seven-day totals) and the percent of staffed hospital beds occupied by COVID-positive patients (a seven-day average).

The Kansas COVID-19 community level map as of March 10, 2023, courtesy of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Kansas COVID-19 community level map as of March 10, 2023, courtesy of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has 16 counties at its high incident rate, four more than last week.

Sedgwick is at KDHE’s “moderate” rate, finally leaving the “substantial” rate it’s been at for multiple weeks. Counties in the moderate rate experience 10 to 49 cases per every 100,000 individuals.

The county’s positive test rate sits at 7.8% as of March 9, according to the Sedgwick County Health Department. This is only 0.1% above what it was last week. The rate accounts for the 14-day average of recorded positives over the total number administered and does not include at-home tests and those not reported to the health department.

There have been 126 cases reported in the county in the last seven days. The highest reported on a single day was 38 on March 3. The lowest was three, reported March 9.

See the county’s COVID dashboard below, which updates every Friday with the latest information.

Protecting yourself against COVID-19

For counties at CDC’s low level, the agency says to avoid people who have or might have COVID-19, follow isolation guidelines if you test positive for the virus and stay up-to-date with your vaccines.

The Sedgwick County Health Department administers COVID-19 vaccines free of charge. To find a location where you can receive yours, visit the health department’s website.

Other tips to avoid catching the virus include:

  • Wear a high-quality mask when necessary

  • Avoid large group gatherings

  • Physically distance when possible

Advertisement