Another COVID-19-related death was reported in the area on Tuesday, December 29.
According to the Saline County Health Department’s Dashboard, the death toll increased to 44 in the county. Thirteen new positive cases were confirmed, raising the county’s total to 2,195 since the beginning of the pandemic. With 44 deaths and 2,038 previously positive cases now inactive, the active case count is 113 in the county.
Since last reported six days before, the positive COVID-19 case count in Pettis County increased by 70 to 4,077 on Tuesday. With 3,588 previously positive patients released from public health isolation as recovered and 51 deaths, there are 438 active cases in the county.
Nothing dramatic was reported by the front-line medical workers who received the COVID-19 vaccine earlier this month in Saline County.
“I had a very mild sore arm for about 24 hours,” said Dr. Robert Kraft, CEO and chief medical officer at Salina Family Healthcare Center. “It was much less painful or symptomatic than the flu shot I get every year.
A similar sentiment was echoed by Dr. Rob Freelove, chief medical officer at Salina Regional Health Center.
“My arm was sore for a couple of days,” he said.
SRHC has been closely monitoring side effects of the 938 people who were immunized “in the first go-round,” he said. “Most common side effect has been tenderness or arm soreness. Some had redness, and there were some complaints about body aches and headaches, and we have had some report fevers.”
Hope for Saline County arrived before Christmas, in liquid form, containing the potion to immunize humans from COVID-19.
The long-awaited vaccines have finally begun trickling into Kansas, and as of Tuesday afternoon, 938 people in Salina had received the first of two injections that aim to stem the tide of the global pandemic.
Early on, the distribution process has been a nightmare for officials on the front lines in Saline County. Half a year of more misery may follow before the vaccines are available to the general public.
Meanwhile, local officials say, the pipeline of vaccine and information is loaded with rough tributaries.
Another COVID-19-related death and a double-digit increase in positive cases were reported in Saline County on Monday, December 28.
According to the Saline County Health Department’s dashboard, the death raises the county’s total to 44 since the beginning of the pandemic. In addition, 11 more positive cases were added, increasing the county’s overall total to 2,182. With 2,036 inactive cases and 44 deaths, there are 102 active cases in the county.
The death count remained at 15, and the total positive case count grew by 20 to 634 in Chariton County. With 15 deaths and 559 of the previously positive cases being released from public health isolation as recovered and 15 deaths, 60 active cases remain in the county.
The Salina Journal
Saline County announced six new deaths due to COVID-19 since its last update on Dec. 23 in addition to 113 new positive cases of the coronavirus.
The total number of cases in the county is now 4,145 with the Saline County Health Department actively monitoring 1,882 cases. Of the remaining cases, 2,209 people have recovered and 54 people have died of the disease.
Additionally, the county said Salina Regional Health Center reported 30 patients hospitalized with COVID-19.