With flu numbers increasing, local health officials are also tracking new COVID variants that are affecting other parts of the country.
Lyon County Public Health Emergency Preparedness Director Jennifer Millbern says COVID numbers have largely held stable for over two months, but she expects an increase soon.
A new variant is driving case rates and hospitalizations up in the Northeast. Millbern says this variant has some “immune escape,” so it bears watching through the winter.
With flu cases increasing and at least two spikes of RSV earlier this fall and winter — and with similar symptoms for flu, RSV and COVID — Millbern says it’s important for symptomatic residents to get tested so they know what illness or illnesses they may have. There have been some co-infections involving these viruses, although official numbers have not been divulged.
Millbern also says it’s vitally important to get vaccinated and boosted. She says less than 15 percent of Kansas residents above age 5 has received the bivalent booster this fall and winter.
Lyon County’s weekly caseload has ranged between 20-70 since Sept. 21, with one outlier — 10 weekly cases reported Nov. 16. Cases have stayed under 100 per week since 116 were reported Feb. 2.
Lyon County is ending the year with 11,941 total cases throughout the pandemic after adding over 5,000 cases since Jan. 3 — but only 2,210 cases since Feb. 2. Deaths increased from 97 to 129 throughout the year.
