On Dec. 16, the Riley County Health Department announced one new COVID-19 related death. An 89-year-old man passed away at Ascension Via Christi Hospital on Dec. 15. There are 19 total COVID-19 deaths in Riley County, and his is the third death announced this week.
Additionally, the health department announced 55 new positive cases of COVID-19. In all, 4,396 unique cases of COVID-19 were reported in Riley County. With 4,034 recoveries — 52 since Monday — there are 343 active cases left in the county.
There are seven positive patients hospitalized at Ascension Via Christi as well as two additional possible positive individuals. Two patients are in intensive care.
On Wednesday, Ascension Via Christi administered its first doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to Dr. Avinash Singh at 10:30 a.m. The vaccine was given emergency operation from the federal Food and Drug Administration on Dec. 11.
The positivity rate in Riley County for Dec. 6 through 12 is 16 percent, down from 22.4 percent from the previous week. Kansas State reports a positivity rate of about four percent, a decrease from over eight percent in the previous period.
