All but 3 Kansas counties at COVID-19 ‘tipping point’ ahead of Thanksgiving, data show
Daily COVID-19 cases have reached a “tipping point” in most Kansas counties with Thanksgiving only days away, according to data from Harvard University.
Researchers are using a color-coded map to display the risk of COVID-19 transmission in the U.S. across states, counties and congressional districts. A region’s color is determined by its seven-day average of daily cases per 100,000 people.
Green represents the lowest risk level and indicates a region is “on track for containment.” Yellow is a step up in COVID-19 risk and indicates that “community spread” is occurring. Next is orange, which indicates “accelerated spread” in the region. The highest risk level is red, which researchers call the “tipping point.”
As of Monday, all but three Kansas counties are in the COVID-19 red zone.
Kansas counties with the lowest risk
Morton County, located in the far southwest corner of the state, is Kansas’ only county in the COVID-19 green zone. Its seven-day average of daily new cases per 100,000 people is 0.
Morton County has logged 105 cases since the onset of the pandemic and three deaths, data show.
Greenwood County is roughly 70 miles east of Wichita and is the state’s only county in the yellow zone. It added an average 2.4 daily cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 people over a seven-day span.
Greenwood County has reported 162 cases of coronavirus since the pandemic began, and one death, according to the map.
Kansas’ only county in the orange zone in Morris County, about 80 miles southwest of Topeka. Its seven-day average of new cases per 100,000 people is 17.8.
Morris County has logged 147 cases since the onset of the pandemic and one death, data show.
High-risk counties
The other 102 counties in the Wheat State are all in the COVID-19 red zone.
Kearny County in southwest Kansas has the highest seven-day average of daily COVID-19 cases with 312.7 per 100,000 people, according to data on Monday.
Russell County in the central portion of the state followed with an average 256.3 daily cases per 100,000 people. Ness County, in west-central Kansas, rounded out the top three with a seven-day average of 244.2 daily cases per 100,000 people.
Sedgwick County, home to Wichita, has a seven-day average of 110 cases per 100,000 people as of Monday, data show. It ranks 55th in the state.
Shawnee County — which is home to Topeka, the state capital — ranks 71st in the state, averaging 84.5 daily cases per 100,000 over the last week, data show.
Wyandotte County, home to Kansas City, has a seven-day average of 73 daily cases per 100,000 people and ranks 82nd, according to the map.
Looking ahead to Thanksgiving
Last week, Gov. Laura Kelly announced a statewide mask mandate that goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 25 — the day before Thanksgiving.
The order requires people to wear face coverings inside in public, in line for public transportation and outside where social distancing isn’t possible.
It’s Gov. Kelly’s second attempt at a mask mandate, the first of which went into effect in early July — 81 counties opted out, which state law allows, USA Today reported.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, is pleading with Americans to carefully consider the risks of Thanksgiving travel and gatherings.
“If you have vulnerable people — the elderly or people with underlying conditions — you better consider whether you want to do that now or maybe just forestall it and just wait and say, ‘You know, this is an unfortunate and unusual situation and I may not want to take the risk,’” he said on “Good Morning America.” “But it’s up to the individuals and the choices they make.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are also encouraging Americans to stay home.
“The safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year is at home with the people in your household,” Dr. Erin Sauber-Schatz told The Associated Press.
If you do hold gatherings with loved ones who don’t live with you, the CDC recommends holding the event outside, limiting the number of guests and frequently disinfecting surfaces. It also suggests telling guests to bring their own food and drink or choosing one person to serve food.
This story was originally published November 23, 2020 at 11:14 AM with the headline "All but 3 Kansas counties at COVID-19 ‘tipping point’ ahead of Thanksgiving, data show."