On Wednesday, the Riley County Health Department reported a 16th COVID-19 related death after an 86-year-old female resident of Leonardville Nursing Home passed away. Hers is the third death connected with the ongoing outbreak at that facility.
Additionally, another 71 new cases of COVID-19 were announced on Wednesday, bringing the local total to 3,780.
“Private social gatherings have been one of the most significant sources of spread since the beginning of the pandemic,” local health officer Julie Gibbs said in a press release. “If you choose to gather with friends and family please avoid close contact and follow safety guidelines. Wear a mask, keep your distance, and wash or sanitize your hands frequently.”
People 18 to 24-years-old make up about 58 percent of all positive cases recorded locally — about 2,200 unique cases.
In all, 3,373 people who previously tested positive for COVID-19 in Riley County are recovered, leaving 391 active cases.
There are nine positive patients currently hospitalized at Ascension Via Christi in Manhattan. Three additional possible positive individuals are hospitalized.
Riley County’s two-week positivity rate remains around 16 percent. The most recent report from Kansas State showed an on-campus positivity rate below five percent.
Since Aug. 17, the first day of classes at K-State, the county added nearly 3,300 new cases of COVID-19.
Up-to-date information about pending tests is unavailable at this time. In all, 30,416 negative COVID-19 tests have been returned in Riley County.
