Shawnee County reports first COVID-19 death, marking 7th in Kansas
A 70-year-old woman who died of COVID-19 marked the first such death in Shawnee County, Kansas, according to local health officials.
It was the seventh coronavirus death in the state, after four people in Wyandotte County and two in Johnson County died from the disease.
The Shawnee County Health Department reported the woman’s death Saturday. The patient was admitted to Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka Mach 23 and tested positive for the virus March 25.
The health department did not release any further details about the woman. It announced her death in a written statement dated March 28 and posted to the department’s website.
Investigations of contacts the woman may have had with other people were ongoing, the health department said. Any close contacts identified would be quarantined at home and monitored for symptoms.
Anyone experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough, or difficulty breathing should call a health care provider immediately and should not visit in person before receiving confirmation of an appointment.
The health department asked members of the public to follow guidance for social distancing, avoiding groups of 10 or more.
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced a statewide stay at home order Saturday.
This story was originally published March 29, 2020 at 3:47 PM.
