Miami and Doniphan counties in Kansas follow others in issuing stay at home orders
Two more Kansas counties issued stay at home orders Monday as the novel coronavirus continues to spread and transform daily life across the country.
The order in Miami County, just south of Johnson County, goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday. The order in Doniphan County, in northeastern Kansas, goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Thursday, officials announced.
At least 83 people have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus in the state, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment said Monday afternoon.
A case reported in Miami County is not included in that number because the patient is a resident of Missouri.
No cases had been found in Doniphan County as of Monday. Experts say the virus has likely spread to many more people than have been tested.
The two counties follow similar actions in other Kansas jurisdictions.
Residents in Douglas, Johnson, Leavenworth and Wyandotte counties will be under stay at home orders starting at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday until April 23.
Sedgwick County, which includes Wichita, recommended an order at a meeting Monday.
The directives require residents to stay at home, leaving only for essential activities such as obtaining groceries and medicine.
Such mandates have been recommended by public health experts to establish and maintain the practice of social distancing, a necessary step in stopping the spread of the virus through the community.
In Missouri, 183 cases of the coronavirus have been identified.
Orders have been issued in Kansas City and St. Joseph as well as Jackson, Clay, Cass, Platte and Jefferson counties. Restrictions in the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County took effect Monday.
Orders have not been carried out in Springfield, Columbia or St. Charles County.
More than 1.5 billion people across the world are under similar orders, the Associated Press reported Monday. More than 350,000 people have been infected globally.
