Kansas coronavirus death toll grows to 4; KU has 10 in ICU
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas City-area man in his 80s with underlying health concerns is the fourth person in Kansas to die of the coronavirus, state health officials said Friday. He was diagnosed Monday and died Thursday, according to the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City health department.
The other three people who died also lived in the Kansas City area.
The state reported Thursday that it has at least 168 confirmed cases of the virus, an increase of 42 from Wednesday.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.
Coronavirus-related developments in Kansas:
UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS HEALTH SYSTEM
The University of Kansas Health System says it is caring for 18 COVID-19 patients.
Hospital officials said in a news briefing Friday that two more people were admitted with the virus on Thursday. Ten of the 18 are in the intensive care unit and six are on ventilators. The other patients are in a unit dedicated to COVID-19 patients
FORT RILEY SOLDIER ILL
Fort Riley in Manhattan is reporting its first confirmed case of the coronavirus. Riley County and fort officials announced Thursday that the soldier who tested positive does not require hospitalization and is in isolation at his home in Manhattan.
The soldier is believed to have contracted the COVID-19 virus while traveling out of state but officials haven't said where he went.
Fort Riley requires a 14-day quarantine for service members who have traveled outside the region, have been in close contact with confirmed cases and those being tested.
KANSAS STATE GRADUATION CHANGES
Kansas State University says students whose spring graduation ceremony has been canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic will be honored during the fall 2020 commencement in December.
Kansas State has moved to remote classes for the rest of the semester, as have most other universities and colleges in the state.
Provost Charles Taber said Kansas State has decided to give their 2020 spring graduates the traditional “moment of honor” during the fall ceremony, when they will walk across the stage to get their diplomas, The Manhattan Mercury reported.
FINANCIAL FALLOUT:
Kansas has recorded the largest percentage jump in unemployment claims in at least 20 years. Federal labor statistics show the state received almost 23,700 initial claims for unemployment for the week ending Saturday. That was an increase of about 1,250% over the previous week's claims of less than 1,800.
Gov. Laura Kelly said Thursday that the state's tax collections likely are already being hit by the pandemic. She also postponed the state's income tax filing deadline to July 15 from April 15, delaying big collections that come in the spring.