Lyon County’s recent surge in coronavirus cases continued Friday.
With 200 new cases reported, the county’s active total has surpassed the previous record of 679 set on Nov. 18 of 2020 with 689 active cases as of Friday. Of those active cases, 193 are considered to be breakthrough cases.
To date, Lyon County Public Health has identified 924 collective breakthrough cases. The county’s death count also rose and now stands at 99 with five cases pending final cause information from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The county now has nine active hospitalizations.
The latest data report follows the first confirmed cases of the omicron variant within the KVOE listening area after Public Health announced its first case Thursday and KDHE announced the first omicron cases in Chase and Wabaunsee counties Wednesday.
With the ongoing surge in cases, Public Health is taking steps to increase efficiency in scheduling COVID testing. According to a news release from Public Health Friday afternoon, all scheduling will now be done virtually through the public health website Publichealth.Lyoncounty.org.
Emergency Preparedness Director Jenniffer Millbern says, “By moving to an online scheduling system, we are making it more convenient for people to get tested. Between the disease investigations and scheduling tests, the increase in cases is straining our phone system. It is important to us that people can reach us, so by moving test scheduling online, it is more convenient for those who need a test, and those who are trying to reach an investigator.”
Public Health offers free COVID testing weekly Monday through Friday.
