MISSION, Kan. (AP) — A coronavirus outbreak at a Kansas City area rehabilitation facility has now claimed 12 lives and sickened nearly 100 other residents and staff members.
Health officials in Wyandotte County said Monday that the Riverbend Post Acute Rehabilitation of Kansas City has 90 residents who tested positive and 20 staff. Five of the residents are hospitalized.
Janell Friesen, a spokeswoman for the county health department, said she she didn’t anticipate a surge in new cases there because most of the testing has been completed. The newest numbers are unchanged from Sunday, when positive cases rose by 18. She said staff is investigating how COVID-19 spread in the center.
Nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities have been particularly hard hit by the outbreak nationwide because they serve a vulnerable population that is in need of extensive hands-on care.
Riverbend said in a statement posted on its website that about 90% of patients are responding positively to care and that it is making palliative and supportive care available to those residents whose “overall course has not been as encouraging despite the efforts of our clinical team.”
Statewide, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 grew Monday to 1,376, up 39 from Sunday. The number of deaths increased by six to 62.
The Kansas Department of Corrections said Monday that the sickened also include one resident of a Wichita work release facility. Corrections officials also are dealing with an outbreak at the Lansing Correction Facility.
Meanwhile, Kansas State University announced Monday that summer classes will move online with significantly reduced fees in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The university previously moved spring classes online.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.