Kansas Health Secretary Lee Norman says decisions at the state and county level have contributed to a recent spike in coronavirus cases, and he’s concerned about how the numbers may track in mid-July — or an incubation period after the Fourth of July.
Norman faulted state leaders for making the Ad Astra recovery process into an advisory instead of a mandate, and he the state’s decision to limit contact tracing as part of the compromise House Bill 2016 in last month’s special session also makes it tougher for health officials to fully react to the virus. Norman also said county decisions to relax limits on mass gatherings did not help matters.
With the holiday weekend rapidly approaching and infection numbers rising, Norman says Kansas is at a “bad convergence” point for the virus.
Norman urged residents not to gather in large numbers this holiday weekend.
Norman says the Mobile Testing Unit, announced last week, has conducted at least 500 tests over the weekend and Monday. Nationwide, though, testing is becoming more “strained” as the number of cases increases. This means results are now taking four to five days to process when it had been taking one to three days.
Governor Laura Kelly is convening the State Finance Council at 1 pm to review her executive order having everybody across the state wear masks in public settings. The order is set to take effect at 12:01 am Friday.
