Jun 03, 2020

Kansas county will randomly test for coronavirus

Posted Jun 03, 2020 7:08 PM
photo courtesy HealthCore
photo courtesy HealthCore

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas health officials want to randomly test Sedgwick County residents to determine the spread of coronavirus in the area.

The local health department will offer testing to 1,600 random residents next week.

Residents who get a call from the health department will be offered testing regardless of whether they have symptoms of COVID-19.

For most people, the new 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, and death.

Testing in Sedgwick County will be held June 18 through June 20. Health officials are planning another round of random testing in mid-July to see if the virus spreads.

Kansas has continued to see coronavirus cases and COVID-19-related deaths increase. The state Department of Health and Environment reported Monday that the number of cases had reached 10,011, up 292 or 3% since Friday, and the number of deaths jumped 4.5%, up 9 to a total of 217 since the pandemic hit the state in early March.