Washington (AP) —Governors in places seeing huge spikes in coronavirus infections often cite statewide data to assure the public they have plenty of hospital capacity to survive the onslaught, even as the states routinely miss the critical benchmarks to guide their pandemic response.

Public health officials and experts say the heavy reliance on statewide hospital data is a misleading and sometimes irresponsible metric to justify keeping a state open or holding back on imposing new limits.

That is because statewide statistics can be deceiving, especially in large states where individual hospitals can be in crisis mode even while the overall capacity numbers look OK.

Thomas LaVeist, dean of the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans, said basing pandemic and reopening policy on statewide hospital bed capacity ”is incredibly irresponsible.”

“To cherry-pick hospital capacity and to use that one metric without the context of number of cases, number of deaths, is shocking,” LaVeist said.

The issue of hospital capacity has gained urgency across the nation this week as Florida, Texas, California, Arizona and other states reported skyrocketing case numbers. Governors have repeatedly invoked hospital capacity in arguing against new business restrictions, though the dynamic began to shift Friday when Texas and Florida clamped down on bars amid an increasingly dire situation with COVID-19.

At the first White House coronavirus briefing nearly two months Friday, Vice President Mike Pence also cited hospitalizations in discussing the outlook for the pandemic.

Two months ago, Pence said 15% of patients were being hospitalized. Now it’s about 5%. That means the health care system is better positioned to cope with a resurgence in cases, he says.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas jumped by 568, fueled in part by outbreaks in sports practices and tournaments. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said Friday that there were now 13,538 cases, up 4.3% from Wednesday and 12% from last Friday. The state also reported three more deaths, bringing the total to 264 since the pandemic began in early March.&nbsp;

In Texas, the state health department’s website on Thursday showed 12,951 available beds, 1,320 available ICU beds, and 5,850 available ventilators. What it doesn’t break down is how bleak the situation is in some particular places, including Houston, the nation’s fourth largest city. Hospital beds in Houston are filling so fast that Texas Children’s Hospital is starting to treat adult patients, and 97% of ICU beds at Texas Medical Center were in use.

In Miami, Homestead Hospital confirmed Tuesday it was at capacity. The hospital was transferring patients to other hospitals and preparing to convert regular beds to beds for ICU and acute care patients, if needed.

In Arizona, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey has declined to impose new restrictions on business activity or a stay-at-home order, repeatedly citing ample capacity in the state’s hospitals as the reason he is comfortable staying open.

“That’s what’s most important when there’s a rise in cases,” Ducey said earlier this month.

Ducey has condemned as “misinformation” the notion that hospital space is running short, even as state data shows that 85% of Arizona’s hospital beds are occupied. Arizona has about 2,500 hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

At the same time, the state is badly missing the mark on the benchmarks established by the White House task force to guide the reopening of the economy, with 23 percent of COVID-19 tests coming back positive in the past week in Arizona.

The task force does not include statewide hospitalizations as part of its criteria that states are supposed to meet before reopening. Those criteria include a downward trajectory of cases within a two-week period. They also specify that hospitals should have enough intensive care unit capacity to treat a surge in patients and should have a robust testing program in place for at-risk healthcare workers, including virus antibody testing.

Dr. Joseph Gerald, associate professor of public health policy and management at the University of Arizona, said that if the trend continues, cases will likely exceed statewide hospital bed capacity within the next several weeks.

California has broken several of its own daily records for the number of positive tests and hospitalizations have risen by more than 30 percent in the past two weeks. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has sounded an upbeat tone in recent days about hospital capacity but changed his tune somewhat on Friday, saying he wants a Southern California county that borders Mexico to consider a stay-home order again.

Dr. Colleen Kraft, associate chief medical officer at Emory Hospital in Atlanta and a member of Georgia’s coronavirus task force, said regional hospital bed capacity would be a better metric than statewide capacity. She lamented that the pandemic has seemingly devolved into a “political situation.”

“As someone who came into medicine to serve people, it’s difficult to watch,” Kraft said.

Robyn Gershon, a professor and public health expert at New York University, called using statewide hospital bed capacity to guide policy “completely unethical.”

’’It’s unethical to say let’s just go about our business and by the way, we can handle the overflow,” Gershon said. “A better measure is the 14-day and seven-day case infection rate. That’s what’s telling us what’s going on right now.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593204436609.png" alt="Vice President Mike Pence and Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speak during a briefing with members of the Coronavirus Task Force at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, Friday" />
 <figcaption>Vice President Mike Pence and Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speak during a briefing with members of the Coronavirus Task Force at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, Friday</figcaption>
 </figure>By JIM SALTER and LINDSEY TANNERWashington (AP) —Governors in places seeing huge spikes in coronavirus infections often cite statewide data to assure the public they have plenty of hospital capacity to survive the onslaught, even as the states routinely miss the critical benchmarks to guide their pandemic response.Public health officials and experts say the heavy reliance on statewide hospital data is a misleading and sometimes irresponsible metric to justify keeping a state open or holding back on imposing new limits.That is because statewide statistics can be deceiving, especially in large states where individual hospitals can be in crisis mode even while the overall capacity numbers look OK.Thomas LaVeist, dean of the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans, said basing pandemic and reopening policy on statewide hospital bed capacity ”is incredibly irresponsible.”“To cherry-pick hospital capacity and to use that one metric without the context of number of cases, number of deaths, is shocking,” LaVeist said.The issue of hospital capacity has gained urgency across the nation this week as Florida, Texas, California, Arizona and other states reported skyrocketing case numbers. Governors have repeatedly invoked hospital capacity in arguing against new business restrictions, though the dynamic began to shift Friday when Texas and Florida clamped down on bars amid an increasingly dire situation with COVID-19.At the first White House coronavirus briefing nearly two months Friday, Vice President Mike Pence also cited hospitalizations in discussing the outlook for the pandemic.Two months ago, Pence said 15% of patients were being hospitalized. Now it’s about 5%. That means the health care system is better positioned to cope with a resurgence in cases, he says.The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas jumped by 568, fueled in part by outbreaks in sports practices and tournaments. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said Friday that there were now 13,538 cases, up 4.3% from Wednesday and 12% from last Friday. The state also reported three more deaths, bringing the total to 264 since the pandemic began in early March.&nbsp;In Texas, the state health department’s website on Thursday showed 12,951 available beds, 1,320 available ICU beds, and 5,850 available ventilators. What it doesn’t break down is how bleak the situation is in some particular places, including Houston, the nation’s fourth largest city. Hospital beds in Houston are filling so fast that Texas Children’s Hospital is starting to treat adult patients, and 97% of ICU beds at Texas Medical Center were in use.In Miami, Homestead Hospital confirmed Tuesday it was at capacity. The hospital was transferring patients to other hospitals and preparing to convert regular beds to beds for ICU and acute care patients, if needed.In Arizona, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey has declined to impose new restrictions on business activity or a stay-at-home order, repeatedly citing ample capacity in the state’s hospitals as the reason he is comfortable staying open.“That’s what’s most important when there’s a rise in cases,” Ducey said earlier this month.Ducey has condemned as “misinformation” the notion that hospital space is running short, even as state data shows that 85% of Arizona’s hospital beds are occupied. Arizona has about 2,500 hospitalized COVID-19 patients.At the same time, the state is badly missing the mark on the benchmarks established by the White House task force to guide the reopening of the economy, with 23 percent of COVID-19 tests coming back positive in the past week in Arizona.The task force does not include statewide hospitalizations as part of its criteria that states are supposed to meet before reopening. Those criteria include a downward trajectory of cases within a two-week period. They also specify that hospitals should have enough intensive care unit capacity to treat a surge in patients and should have a robust testing program in place for at-risk healthcare workers, including virus antibody testing.Dr. Joseph Gerald, associate professor of public health policy and management at the University of Arizona, said that if the trend continues, cases will likely exceed statewide hospital bed capacity within the next several weeks.California has broken several of its own daily records for the number of positive tests and hospitalizations have risen by more than 30 percent in the past two weeks. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has sounded an upbeat tone in recent days about hospital capacity but changed his tune somewhat on Friday, saying he wants a Southern California county that borders Mexico to consider a stay-home order again.Dr. Colleen Kraft, associate chief medical officer at Emory Hospital in Atlanta and a member of Georgia’s coronavirus task force, said regional hospital bed capacity would be a better metric than statewide capacity. She lamented that the pandemic has seemingly devolved into a “political situation.”“As someone who came into medicine to serve people, it’s difficult to watch,” Kraft said.Robyn Gershon, a professor and public health expert at New York University, called using statewide hospital bed capacity to guide policy “completely unethical.”’’It’s unethical to say let’s just go about our business and by the way, we can handle the overflow,” Gershon said. “A better measure is the 14-day and seven-day case infection rate. That’s what’s telling us what’s going on right now.”—-

As virus grows, governors rely on misleading hospital data

Topeka— The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, along with local public health, is encouraging people who are attending sporting tournaments to please exercise appropriate prevention measures for COVID-19 as clusters are beginning to develop and potential exposures have occurred.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Sports settings by their very nature may pose a higher risk for spread of COVID-19,” said Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary. “Sports have athletes breathing heavy from physical exertion and spreading respiratory droplets, close contact with other players, indoor spaces where it may be difficult for individuals to remain 6 feet apart and attendees who travel from outside the local area. Because of this, it is paramount that individuals choosing to participate or attend sporting events take precautions.”&nbsp;

KDHE and local public health are currently investigating a total of four clusters connected to sports practices and tournaments across the state; the MAYB tournaments account for two of the four clusters. KDHE has confirmed that two people associated with the MAYB Boys Tournament and two people associated with the MAYB Girls Tournament have tested positive for COVID-19. People who attended these events may have been exposed and should be aware of the symptoms of COVID-19.

The tournaments were June 20 and 21 at the Hays Recreation Commission and the Wichita Sports Forum.

Anyone who attended any of these tournaments during the identified days and times should monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days after the last day they attended (monitoring ending July 4 or July 5). Those symptoms include fever, cough, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, fatigue, diarrhea, and/or shortness of breath/difficulty breathing. If symptoms develop, please stay home and contact your health care provider or local health department for guidance on testing. In an emergency please call 911 and notify first responders that you were potentially exposed to COVID-19 and, if possible, wear a cloth face mask before they arrive.

“Participants and spectators at these events are advised to exercise extra caution and practice social distancing, appropriate hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, and wear cloth facemasks,” said Dr. Norman.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590778958989.png" alt="KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman" />
 <figcaption>KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman</figcaption>
 </figure>Topeka— The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, along with local public health, is encouraging people who are attending sporting tournaments to please exercise appropriate prevention measures for COVID-19 as clusters are beginning to develop and potential exposures have occurred.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Sports settings by their very nature may pose a higher risk for spread of COVID-19,” said Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary. “Sports have athletes breathing heavy from physical exertion and spreading respiratory droplets, close contact with other players, indoor spaces where it may be difficult for individuals to remain 6 feet apart and attendees who travel from outside the local area. Because of this, it is paramount that individuals choosing to participate or attend sporting events take precautions.”&nbsp;KDHE and local public health are currently investigating a total of four clusters connected to sports practices and tournaments across the state; the MAYB tournaments account for two of the four clusters. KDHE has confirmed that two people associated with the MAYB Boys Tournament and two people associated with the MAYB Girls Tournament have tested positive for COVID-19. People who attended these events may have been exposed and should be aware of the symptoms of COVID-19.The tournaments were June 20 and 21 at the Hays Recreation Commission and the Wichita Sports Forum.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593196652624.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Anyone who attended any of these tournaments during the identified days and times should monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days after the last day they attended (monitoring ending July 4 or July 5). Those symptoms include fever, cough, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, fatigue, diarrhea, and/or shortness of breath/difficulty breathing. If symptoms develop, please stay home and contact your health care provider or local health department for guidance on testing. In an emergency please call 911 and notify first responders that you were potentially exposed to COVID-19 and, if possible, wear a cloth face mask before they arrive.“Participants and spectators at these events are advised to exercise extra caution and practice social distancing, appropriate hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, and wear cloth facemasks,” said Dr. Norman.

KDHE: After possible exposure in Hays, Wichita, take care at tournaments

The Riley County Health Department (RCHD) has received notice of 28 new positive patients since the Wednesday. The total for the county is now 184, with 109 active cases. The majority of the new positive patients continue to be in the 18-24 age range. ”It has become necessary to increase our response,” said Local Health Officer Julie Gibbs. “The Emergency Operations Center is working to add contact tracing staff, reorganize current staff, and address the increased testing demands at the Swabbing Station. We plan to have these new measures in place next week.” The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has declared four locations in Riley County as areas of outbreak: Aggieville, the Kansas State University Football Team, and now Rock A Belly Bar and Deli and 785 Bar, both within the Aggieville District. An outbreak occurs when five or more cases stem from one place and time. Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan has 1 positive patient who is on a ventilator. There is also 1 Person Under Investigation currently hospitalized. A PUI is a person who has symptoms of COVID-19 and is waiting for test results. Anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19 should call the Riley County Health Department’s Screening Hotline to speak with a nurse at 785-323-6400. The Screening Hotline is staffed Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. through the month of June. If you have an emergency, call 911. Riley County Statistics for Friday, June 26, 2020:

*KDHE is reporting 178 positives for Riley County but that total does not include the most recent patients. The total for Riley County is 184.

The Riley County Health Department (RCHD) has received notice of 28 new positive patients since the Wednesday. The total for the county is now 184, with 109 active cases. The majority of the new positive patients continue to be in the 18-24 age range. ”It has become necessary to increase our response,” said Local Health Officer Julie Gibbs. “The Emergency Operations Center is working to add contact tracing staff, reorganize current staff, and address the increased testing demands at the Swabbing Station. We plan to have these new measures in place next week.” The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has declared four locations in Riley County as areas of outbreak: Aggieville, the Kansas State University Football Team, and now Rock A Belly Bar and Deli and 785 Bar, both within the Aggieville District. An outbreak occurs when five or more cases stem from one place and time. Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan has 1 positive patient who is on a ventilator. There is also 1 Person Under Investigation currently hospitalized. A PUI is a person who has symptoms of COVID-19 and is waiting for test results. Anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19 should call the Riley County Health Department’s Screening Hotline to speak with a nurse at 785-323-6400. The Screening Hotline is staffed Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. through the month of June. If you have an emergency, call 911. Riley County Statistics for Friday, June 26, 2020:<ul>
 <li>Total positive cases in Riley County Residents:&nbsp;184*</li><li>Total Active:&nbsp;109</li><li>Total Recovered:&nbsp;72</li><li>Currently Hospitalized: 1</li><li>Total deaths:&nbsp;3</li><li>Pending test results:&nbsp;159</li><li>Negative test results:&nbsp;2,367</li>
 </ul> *KDHE is reporting 178 positives for Riley County but that total does not include the most recent patients. The total for Riley County is 184.

COVID-19 numbers increase again in Riley County

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials estimate that 20 million Americans have been infected with the coronavirus since it first arrived in the United States, meaning that the vast majority of the population remains susceptible.

Thursday’s estimate is roughly 10 times as many infections as the 2.3 million cases that have been confirmed. Officials have long known that millions of people were infected without knowing it and that many cases are being missed because of gaps in testing.

The news comes as the Trump administration works to tamp down nationwide concern about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">COVID-19 pandemic&nbsp;</a>as about a dozen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/778da4a2da7e5d9d12e6105c012b8cf9">states are seeing worrisome increases</a>&nbsp;in cases.

The administration also looks to get its scientific experts back before the public more as it tries to allay anxieties about the pandemic while states begin reopening. Since mid-May, when the government began stressing the need to get the economy moving again, the panel’s public health experts have been far less visible than in the pandemic’s early weeks.

Twenty million infections means that about 6% of the nation’s 331 million people have been infected.

“It’s clear that many individuals in this nation are still susceptible,” Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said on a call with reporters Thursday. “Our best estimate right now is that for every case that was reported, there actually are 10 more infections.”

Previously, CDC officials and the nation’s top infectious-disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, have said that as many as 25% of infected people might not have symptoms.

“There’s an enormous number of people that are still vulnerable,” said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, vice dean at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “It still remains a potentially lethal disease. It’s a roll of the dice for everybody who gets the illness. Also, you’re rolling the dice for other people who you may give the virus to.”

The new estimate is based on CDC studies of blood samples collected nationwide — some by the CDC and others from blood donations and other sources. Many infections were not caught in early testing, when supplies were limited and federal officials prioritized testing for those with symptoms.

Administration officials are pointing to the new data to allay public anxieties, claiming that while there have been significant spikes, they have the outbreaks well in hand. They maintained they were not trying to minimize a public health crisis, but said the nation is in a markedly different place with the virus now than when the U.S. last saw similar infection numbers in mid-April, when testing infrastructure was weaker. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity late Wednesday to discuss the matter candidly.

“This is still serious,” Redfield said on the call with reporters Thursday. “But I’m asking people to recognize that we’re in a different situation today than we were in March or April,” with more cases today in younger people who are not as likely to develop serious illness or die from infection, he said.

President Donald Trump, who refuses to wear a face mask in public, has tried to play down the risk. He told a crowd in Wisconsin on Thursday that the administration had done an “incredible job” fighting the virus and added that “if we didn’t test, we wouldn’t have cases,” which ignores other indicators of the extent of the problem such as surging hospitalizations in some areas.

Redfield said infection prevalence rates ranged from 1% in some areas of the West Coast to much higher in New York City.

Several independent experts said the methods and locations of sampling are key to interpreting the numbers.

Dr. Thomas Tsai, a Harvard University health policy researcher, said 20 million seems reasonable, but “most of these estimates exist in a range” and it’s important to know how wide that is.

“It’s hard to interpret this just from a single number and without the context for it,” such as what locations were sampled and whether it was truly a random slice of a population or areas of low or high prevalence, which can skew the results.

Justin Lessler, a researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said 20 million infected “is about what you’d expect based on the case fatality rate” and the number of deaths that have occurred so far in the U.S.

Despite the phaseout of daily White House coronavirus briefings, the administration has been closely monitoring data on the spread of COVID-19 and has been deploying teams from the CDC to identify and stem outbreaks around the country.

A dozen states in recent weeks have seen a worrisome uptick in new cases, as well as in the more critical measure of the percentage of positive cases discovered in tests performed. Seven states have seen more than 10% of tests come back positive. And troublesome spikes in Sun Belt states have dominated news coverage in recent days, to the consternation of Trump administration officials.

They point instead to more nuanced county-level data, which shows positivity rates exceeding 10% in just 3% of the nation’s counties. Yet they acknowledge that some of the areas with the highest transmission rates are generally the most populous, suggesting tens of millions of Americans could be living in areas with spiking infections.

As states reopen, the administration says it is up to governors and local officials to determine how to respond to the spikes. Texas GOP Gov. Greg Abbott, for example, put a hold on any further steps to reopen and reimposed a ban on elective surgeries in some areas to preserve hospital space after the number of patients statewide more than doubled in two weeks.

The CDC teams, officials said, are working to trace new outbreaks and reinforce protective measures like social distancing and mask wearing in hard-hit areas and to remind vulnerable populations to take extreme precautions. The administration says those efforts have helped slow new infections in North Carolina and Alabama, where they were deployed earlier this month.

One of the hard-hit areas is Phoenix, where Trump held an event Tuesday with thousands of young attendees, nearly all of whom were maskless.

The officials say the nature of the outbreak now is different than months ago, when deaths topped more than 1,000 per day for weeks and hospitals were stretched beyond capacity across the country. The new increase in positive cases, they said, is capturing what has long been there. They say it is only now showing up in data because the U.S. has increased testing and surveillance.

Meanwhile, mortality data has steadily declined, as have hospitalizations in all but a few hot spots.

To the administration officials, that reinforces their hypothesis that millions unknowingly had the virus earlier this year. Through early May, federal guidelines prioritized testing for symptomatic people, those exposed to a positive case and those in high-risk environments.

With testing far more widespread now, officials believe 50% of new cases in Florida and Texas are among people ages 35 or younger, and most of them are asymptomatic.

The U.S. is testing about 500,000 patients per day. On a per capita basis, the U.S. rate falls behind several other countries, including Spain, Australia, Russia and Iceland, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.

There is no scientific consensus on the rate of testing needed to control the virus. But many experts say the U.S. should be testing roughly 1 million to 3 million people daily to catch new cases and prevent flareups. Administration officials said they expect to be able to run 20-40 million tests per month beginning this fall.

Testing is constrained by laboratory supplies needed to run the tests but also lack of demand for tests in some areas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589829316756.png" alt="KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman. The Agency reported&nbsp; 12,970 positive virus cases in Kansas on Wednesday. Missouri has reported&nbsp; 19,421 cases." />
 <figcaption>KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman. The Agency reported&nbsp; 12,970 positive virus cases in Kansas on Wednesday. Missouri has reported&nbsp; 19,421 cases.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials estimate that 20 million Americans have been infected with the coronavirus since it first arrived in the United States, meaning that the vast majority of the population remains susceptible.Thursday’s estimate is roughly 10 times as many infections as the 2.3 million cases that have been confirmed. Officials have long known that millions of people were infected without knowing it and that many cases are being missed because of gaps in testing.The news comes as the Trump administration works to tamp down nationwide concern about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">COVID-19 pandemic&nbsp;</a>as about a dozen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/778da4a2da7e5d9d12e6105c012b8cf9">states are seeing worrisome increases</a>&nbsp;in cases.The administration also looks to get its scientific experts back before the public more as it tries to allay anxieties about the pandemic while states begin reopening. Since mid-May, when the government began stressing the need to get the economy moving again, the panel’s public health experts have been far less visible than in the pandemic’s early weeks.Twenty million infections means that about 6% of the nation’s 331 million people have been infected.“It’s clear that many individuals in this nation are still susceptible,” Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said on a call with reporters Thursday. “Our best estimate right now is that for every case that was reported, there actually are 10 more infections.”Previously, CDC officials and the nation’s top infectious-disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, have said that as many as 25% of infected people might not have symptoms.“There’s an enormous number of people that are still vulnerable,” said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, vice dean at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “It still remains a potentially lethal disease. It’s a roll of the dice for everybody who gets the illness. Also, you’re rolling the dice for other people who you may give the virus to.”The new estimate is based on CDC studies of blood samples collected nationwide — some by the CDC and others from blood donations and other sources. Many infections were not caught in early testing, when supplies were limited and federal officials prioritized testing for those with symptoms.Administration officials are pointing to the new data to allay public anxieties, claiming that while there have been significant spikes, they have the outbreaks well in hand. They maintained they were not trying to minimize a public health crisis, but said the nation is in a markedly different place with the virus now than when the U.S. last saw similar infection numbers in mid-April, when testing infrastructure was weaker. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity late Wednesday to discuss the matter candidly.“This is still serious,” Redfield said on the call with reporters Thursday. “But I’m asking people to recognize that we’re in a different situation today than we were in March or April,” with more cases today in younger people who are not as likely to develop serious illness or die from infection, he said.President Donald Trump, who refuses to wear a face mask in public, has tried to play down the risk. He told a crowd in Wisconsin on Thursday that the administration had done an “incredible job” fighting the virus and added that “if we didn’t test, we wouldn’t have cases,” which ignores other indicators of the extent of the problem such as surging hospitalizations in some areas.Redfield said infection prevalence rates ranged from 1% in some areas of the West Coast to much higher in New York City.Several independent experts said the methods and locations of sampling are key to interpreting the numbers.Dr. Thomas Tsai, a Harvard University health policy researcher, said 20 million seems reasonable, but “most of these estimates exist in a range” and it’s important to know how wide that is.“It’s hard to interpret this just from a single number and without the context for it,” such as what locations were sampled and whether it was truly a random slice of a population or areas of low or high prevalence, which can skew the results.Justin Lessler, a researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said 20 million infected “is about what you’d expect based on the case fatality rate” and the number of deaths that have occurred so far in the U.S.Despite the phaseout of daily White House coronavirus briefings, the administration has been closely monitoring data on the spread of COVID-19 and has been deploying teams from the CDC to identify and stem outbreaks around the country.A dozen states in recent weeks have seen a worrisome uptick in new cases, as well as in the more critical measure of the percentage of positive cases discovered in tests performed. Seven states have seen more than 10% of tests come back positive. And troublesome spikes in Sun Belt states have dominated news coverage in recent days, to the consternation of Trump administration officials.They point instead to more nuanced county-level data, which shows positivity rates exceeding 10% in just 3% of the nation’s counties. Yet they acknowledge that some of the areas with the highest transmission rates are generally the most populous, suggesting tens of millions of Americans could be living in areas with spiking infections.As states reopen, the administration says it is up to governors and local officials to determine how to respond to the spikes. Texas GOP Gov. Greg Abbott, for example, put a hold on any further steps to reopen and reimposed a ban on elective surgeries in some areas to preserve hospital space after the number of patients statewide more than doubled in two weeks.The CDC teams, officials said, are working to trace new outbreaks and reinforce protective measures like social distancing and mask wearing in hard-hit areas and to remind vulnerable populations to take extreme precautions. The administration says those efforts have helped slow new infections in North Carolina and Alabama, where they were deployed earlier this month.One of the hard-hit areas is Phoenix, where Trump held an event Tuesday with thousands of young attendees, nearly all of whom were maskless.The officials say the nature of the outbreak now is different than months ago, when deaths topped more than 1,000 per day for weeks and hospitals were stretched beyond capacity across the country. The new increase in positive cases, they said, is capturing what has long been there. They say it is only now showing up in data because the U.S. has increased testing and surveillance.Meanwhile, mortality data has steadily declined, as have hospitalizations in all but a few hot spots.To the administration officials, that reinforces their hypothesis that millions unknowingly had the virus earlier this year. Through early May, federal guidelines prioritized testing for symptomatic people, those exposed to a positive case and those in high-risk environments.With testing far more widespread now, officials believe 50% of new cases in Florida and Texas are among people ages 35 or younger, and most of them are asymptomatic.The U.S. is testing about 500,000 patients per day. On a per capita basis, the U.S. rate falls behind several other countries, including Spain, Australia, Russia and Iceland, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.There is no scientific consensus on the rate of testing needed to control the virus. But many experts say the U.S. should be testing roughly 1 million to 3 million people daily to catch new cases and prevent flareups. Administration officials said they expect to be able to run 20-40 million tests per month beginning this fall.Testing is constrained by laboratory supplies needed to run the tests but also lack of demand for tests in some areas.

Health officials estimate 20M Americans have had coronavirus

Riley County Health Officer Julie Gibbs said Wednesday that the Kansas Department of Health &amp; Environment has declared two recent COVID-19 outbreaks in the area. "One in Aggieville and one with KSU football. We have been busy with contact tracing to ensure we minimize the potential spread of the virus. "

Gibbs noted that if you have been in contact with&nbsp; the Health Department, whether you have tested positive or are a contact of someone who has tested positive you should remain isolated in your home. "This means not going out of your home for any reason other than an emergency."

Andrew Adams, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for the Riley County Health Department, explained in working with KDHE that they came to the conclusion that based on the investigation process and contact tracing to say that there were those two separate outbreaks. On the decision to declare K-State football an outbreak Adams noted that there have been some activities since people returned to Manhattan. "At first there were some people from out of state that ended up testing positive their first round, or they were from other places, whether in town or out of town that had tested positive initially as well as others who tested negative initially." Adams said after being in the community for an extended period of time and after various activities more spread was seen. "We've seen some spread of that disease. We've seen some more cases coming in from people who had previously tested negative. So that is a really good indicator that the disease is spreading and it's spreading through a specific group or a specific population. So that is the designation for the football side of things.

Adams said Aggieville is a general area but officials have tied back several cases. "Whether they mentioned being there, whether they've been employees of several different facilities, things like that, back to that district." Adams added through the process of investigation and followups they have identified 30 cases that can be linked to spending some time in Aggieville during the last couple of weeks.

The declaration of an outbreak in a specific group or area helps health officials tie together more information. Adams said being able to know that cases are connected to a specific outbreak allows more resources to be provided to those locations to try and slow down the spread in those areas. It also helps raise awareness. "Knowing where people have been, being sick helps to alert the other people in the community, and to make sure people are taking those precautions and maybe paying more attention and being more mindful to those precautions that we've been putting out since day one about when you're going out socially distancing, and hand hygiene, and staying home when you're sick and all those things."

By Dewey TerrillRiley County Health Officer Julie Gibbs said Wednesday that the Kansas Department of Health &amp; Environment has declared two recent COVID-19 outbreaks in the area. "One in Aggieville and one with KSU football. We have been busy with contact tracing to ensure we minimize the potential spread of the virus. "Gibbs noted that if you have been in contact with&nbsp; the Health Department, whether you have tested positive or are a contact of someone who has tested positive you should remain isolated in your home. "This means not going out of your home for any reason other than an emergency."Andrew Adams, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for the Riley County Health Department, explained in working with KDHE that they came to the conclusion that based on the investigation process and contact tracing to say that there were those two separate outbreaks. On the decision to declare K-State football an outbreak Adams noted that there have been some activities since people returned to Manhattan. "At first there were some people from out of state that ended up testing positive their first round, or they were from other places, whether in town or out of town that had tested positive initially as well as others who tested negative initially." Adams said after being in the community for an extended period of time and after various activities more spread was seen. "We've seen some spread of that disease. We've seen some more cases coming in from people who had previously tested negative. So that is a really good indicator that the disease is spreading and it's spreading through a specific group or a specific population. So that is the designation for the football side of things.Adams said Aggieville is a general area but officials have tied back several cases. "Whether they mentioned being there, whether they've been employees of several different facilities, things like that, back to that district." Adams added through the process of investigation and followups they have identified 30 cases that can be linked to spending some time in Aggieville during the last couple of weeks.The declaration of an outbreak in a specific group or area helps health officials tie together more information. Adams said being able to know that cases are connected to a specific outbreak allows more resources to be provided to those locations to try and slow down the spread in those areas. It also helps raise awareness. "Knowing where people have been, being sick helps to alert the other people in the community, and to make sure people are taking those precautions and maybe paying more attention and being more mindful to those precautions that we've been putting out since day one about when you're going out socially distancing, and hand hygiene, and staying home when you're sick and all those things."

Riley County COVID-19 case outbreaks are linked to Aggieville and K-State football

Topeka (AP) — A coronavirus resurgence is wiping out two months of progress in the U.S. and sending infections to dire new levels across the South and West, with hospital administrators and health experts warning Wednesday that politicians and a tired-of-being-cooped-up public are letting a disaster unfold.

The U.S. recorded a one-day total of 34,700&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/753ed7dc88ec5ce8906967f268d78b99">new confirmed COVID-19 cases</a>, the highest level since late April, when the number peaked at 36,400, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University.

While newly confirmed infections have been declining steadily in early hot spots such as New York and New Jersey, several other states set single-day records this week, including Arizona, California, Mississippi, Nevada, Texas and Oklahoma. Some of them also broke hospitalization records, as did North Carolina and South Carolina.

“People got complacent,” said Dr. Marc Boom, CEO of the Houston Methodist hospital system. “And it’s coming back and biting us, quite frankly.”

Kansas on Wednesday saw its largest jump in coronavirus cases in more than six weeks, an increase of more than 500 cases in two days.

The state health department reported the spike two days after Gov. Laura Kelly urged local officials to postpone lifting their last restrictions on businesses and public activities for another two weeks, recommending that they still limit public gatherings to 45 people. The Democratic governor ended statewide restrictions May 26, leaving decisions about the rules to the state’s 105 counties, after weeks of complaints from the Republican-controlled Legislature that she was moving too slowly to reopen the state’s economy.

Dr. Lee Norman, the state health department’s top administrator, expressed concern about the latest increase. Kelly called for slowing down the state’s reopening Monday, following two weeks that saw the average daily rise in new cases increases, along with the percentage of positive results from tests, according to Johns Hopkins University.

“This is not surprising, given the laxity people have been demonstrating in protecting themselves and others,” Norman said Wednesday in a text relayed by his staff.

The Department of Health and Environment reported a total of 12,970 cases of the novel coronavirus, up 4.1% from Monday. Of the 505 new cases, 416 or 82% were not from clusters of two or more cases linked to a single location, such as a nursing home, or an event, such as a public gathering.

The state also reported an additional two COVID-19-related deaths since Monday, bringing the total to 261 since the pandemic began in early March.

The virus has been blamed for over 120,000 U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/df97326ec00fb7cc4abf5b3821ace984">deaths</a>&nbsp;— the highest toll in the world — and more than 2.3 million confirmed infections nationwide. On Wednesday, the widely cited University of Washington computer model of the outbreak projected nearly 180,000 deaths by Oct. 1.

California reported over 7,100 new cases, and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would withhold pandemic-related funding from local governments that brush off state requirements on masks and other anti-virus measures. Florida’s single-day count surged to 5,500, a 25% jump from the record set last week.

In Texas, which began lifting its shutdowns on May 1, hospitalizations have doubled and new cases have tripled in two weeks. Gov. Greg Abbott told KFDA-TV the state is facing a “massive outbreak” and might need new local restrictions to preserve hospital space.

The Houston area’s intensive care units are nearly full, and two public hospitals are running at capacity, Mayor Sylvester Turner said.

Houston Methodist’s Boom said Texans need to “behave perfectly and work together perfectly” to slow the infection rate.

“When I look at a restaurant or a business where people ... are not following the guidelines, where people are just throwing caution to the wind, it makes me angry,” he said.

Just 17 percent of intensive-care beds were available Wednesday in Alabama — including just one in Montgomery — though hospitals can add more, said Dr. Don Williamson, head of the Alabama Hospital Association.

“There is nothing that I’m seeing that makes me think we are getting ahead of this,” he said.

In Arizona, emergency rooms are seeing about 1,200 suspected COVID-19 patients a day, compared with around 500 a month ago. If the trends continue, hospitals will probably exceed capacity within the next several weeks, said Dr. Joseph Gerald, a University of Arizona public health policy professor.

“We are in deep trouble,” said Gerald, urging the state to impose new restrictions on businesses, which Gov. Doug Ducey has refused to do.

Dr. Peter Hotez, an infectious-disease expert at the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, said he worries that states will squander what time they have to head off a much larger crisis.

“We’re still talking about subtlety, still arguing whether or not we should wear masks, and still not understanding that a vaccine is not going to rescue us,” he said.

The Texas governor initially barred local officials from fining or penalizing anyone for not wearing a mask as the state reopened. After cases began spiking, Abbott said last week that cities and counties could allow businesses to require masks. So did Arizona’s Ducey, who is a Republican, as is Abbott.

Some business owners are frustrated that officials didn’t do more, and sooner, to require masks.

“I can’t risk my staff, my clientele, myself, my family and everybody else in that chain just because other people are too inconvenienced to wear a piece of cloth on their face,” said Michael Neff, an owner of the Cottonmouth Club in Houston. He closed it this week so staffers could get tested after one had contact with an infected person.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, ordered people to wear masks in public as the daily count of hospitalizations and new cases hovered near records. In Florida, several counties and cities recently enacted mask requirements.

In a sign of the shift in the outbreak, New York, Connecticut and New Jersey&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/51398731ffecf2a7a598ea8a77c31888">announced they will ask&nbsp;</a>visitors from states with high infection rates to quarantine themselves for 14 days. In March, Florida issued such an order for visitors from the New York City area, where cases were soaring.

The U.S. Justice Department took aim at Hawaii’s quarantine requirement for visitors, saying it discriminates against out-of-state residents. The Hawaii attorney general’s office says there’s no merit to the government’s arguments and a related lawsuit from out-of-state property owners.

Cases also are surging in some other parts of the world. India reported a record-breaking one-day increase of nearly 16,000 cases. Mexico and Iraq hit new highs as well.

But China appears to have tamed a new outbreak in Beijing, again demonstrating its ability to mobilize vast resources by testing nearly 2.5 million people in 11 days. China, where the virus emerged last year, reported 19 new cases nationwide Thursday. While up from the day before, there was no sign of further geographic spread.

Worldwide, over 9.4 million people have been confirmed infected, and nearly 500,000 have died, by Johns Hopkins’ count.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591654770731.png" alt="KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman answers questions during a press conference with the governor last week." />
 <figcaption>KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman answers questions during a press conference with the governor last week.</figcaption>
 </figure>Topeka (AP) — A coronavirus resurgence is wiping out two months of progress in the U.S. and sending infections to dire new levels across the South and West, with hospital administrators and health experts warning Wednesday that politicians and a tired-of-being-cooped-up public are letting a disaster unfold.The U.S. recorded a one-day total of 34,700&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/753ed7dc88ec5ce8906967f268d78b99">new confirmed COVID-19 cases</a>, the highest level since late April, when the number peaked at 36,400, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University.While newly confirmed infections have been declining steadily in early hot spots such as New York and New Jersey, several other states set single-day records this week, including Arizona, California, Mississippi, Nevada, Texas and Oklahoma. Some of them also broke hospitalization records, as did North Carolina and South Carolina.“People got complacent,” said Dr. Marc Boom, CEO of the Houston Methodist hospital system. “And it’s coming back and biting us, quite frankly.”Kansas on Wednesday saw its largest jump in coronavirus cases in more than six weeks, an increase of more than 500 cases in two days.The state health department reported the spike two days after Gov. Laura Kelly urged local officials to postpone lifting their last restrictions on businesses and public activities for another two weeks, recommending that they still limit public gatherings to 45 people. The Democratic governor ended statewide restrictions May 26, leaving decisions about the rules to the state’s 105 counties, after weeks of complaints from the Republican-controlled Legislature that she was moving too slowly to reopen the state’s economy.Dr. Lee Norman, the state health department’s top administrator, expressed concern about the latest increase. Kelly called for slowing down the state’s reopening Monday, following two weeks that saw the average daily rise in new cases increases, along with the percentage of positive results from tests, according to Johns Hopkins University.“This is not surprising, given the laxity people have been demonstrating in protecting themselves and others,” Norman said Wednesday in a text relayed by his staff.The Department of Health and Environment reported a total of 12,970 cases of the novel coronavirus, up 4.1% from Monday. Of the 505 new cases, 416 or 82% were not from clusters of two or more cases linked to a single location, such as a nursing home, or an event, such as a public gathering.The state also reported an additional two COVID-19-related deaths since Monday, bringing the total to 261 since the pandemic began in early March.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593018195991.png" alt="Virus infections by County for June 24, 2020 KDHE&nbsp; image" />
 <figcaption>Virus infections by County for June 24, 2020 KDHE&nbsp; image</figcaption>
 </figure>The virus has been blamed for over 120,000 U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/df97326ec00fb7cc4abf5b3821ace984">deaths</a>&nbsp;— the highest toll in the world — and more than 2.3 million confirmed infections nationwide. On Wednesday, the widely cited University of Washington computer model of the outbreak projected nearly 180,000 deaths by Oct. 1.California reported over 7,100 new cases, and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would withhold pandemic-related funding from local governments that brush off state requirements on masks and other anti-virus measures. Florida’s single-day count surged to 5,500, a 25% jump from the record set last week.In Texas, which began lifting its shutdowns on May 1, hospitalizations have doubled and new cases have tripled in two weeks. Gov. Greg Abbott told KFDA-TV the state is facing a “massive outbreak” and might need new local restrictions to preserve hospital space.The Houston area’s intensive care units are nearly full, and two public hospitals are running at capacity, Mayor Sylvester Turner said.Houston Methodist’s Boom said Texans need to “behave perfectly and work together perfectly” to slow the infection rate.“When I look at a restaurant or a business where people ... are not following the guidelines, where people are just throwing caution to the wind, it makes me angry,” he said.Just 17 percent of intensive-care beds were available Wednesday in Alabama — including just one in Montgomery — though hospitals can add more, said Dr. Don Williamson, head of the Alabama Hospital Association.“There is nothing that I’m seeing that makes me think we are getting ahead of this,” he said.In Arizona, emergency rooms are seeing about 1,200 suspected COVID-19 patients a day, compared with around 500 a month ago. If the trends continue, hospitals will probably exceed capacity within the next several weeks, said Dr. Joseph Gerald, a University of Arizona public health policy professor.“We are in deep trouble,” said Gerald, urging the state to impose new restrictions on businesses, which Gov. Doug Ducey has refused to do.Dr. Peter Hotez, an infectious-disease expert at the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, said he worries that states will squander what time they have to head off a much larger crisis.“We’re still talking about subtlety, still arguing whether or not we should wear masks, and still not understanding that a vaccine is not going to rescue us,” he said.The Texas governor initially barred local officials from fining or penalizing anyone for not wearing a mask as the state reopened. After cases began spiking, Abbott said last week that cities and counties could allow businesses to require masks. So did Arizona’s Ducey, who is a Republican, as is Abbott.Some business owners are frustrated that officials didn’t do more, and sooner, to require masks.“I can’t risk my staff, my clientele, myself, my family and everybody else in that chain just because other people are too inconvenienced to wear a piece of cloth on their face,” said Michael Neff, an owner of the Cottonmouth Club in Houston. He closed it this week so staffers could get tested after one had contact with an infected person.North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, ordered people to wear masks in public as the daily count of hospitalizations and new cases hovered near records. In Florida, several counties and cities recently enacted mask requirements.In a sign of the shift in the outbreak, New York, Connecticut and New Jersey&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/51398731ffecf2a7a598ea8a77c31888">announced they will ask&nbsp;</a>visitors from states with high infection rates to quarantine themselves for 14 days. In March, Florida issued such an order for visitors from the New York City area, where cases were soaring.The U.S. Justice Department took aim at Hawaii’s quarantine requirement for visitors, saying it discriminates against out-of-state residents. The Hawaii attorney general’s office says there’s no merit to the government’s arguments and a related lawsuit from out-of-state property owners.Cases also are surging in some other parts of the world. India reported a record-breaking one-day increase of nearly 16,000 cases. Mexico and Iraq hit new highs as well.But China appears to have tamed a new outbreak in Beijing, again demonstrating its ability to mobilize vast resources by testing nearly 2.5 million people in 11 days. China, where the virus emerged last year, reported 19 new cases nationwide Thursday. While up from the day before, there was no sign of further geographic spread.Worldwide, over 9.4 million people have been confirmed infected, and nearly 500,000 have died, by Johns Hopkins’ count.___

'Coming back and biting us': US sees virus resurgence

Fort Riley Soldiers are prohibited from visiting Aggieville in Manhattan from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. That is part of a general order issued by the commanding general, Major General John Kolasheski, after the announcement of numerous positive COVID-19 cases in Riley County in recent days.

The announcement of the commanding general's order was made by the Command Sgt. Major for the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley, Ray Harris, during a town hall meeting at Fort Riley on Wednesday. "Additionally while visiting Aggieville during authorized hours, 0501 until 2159 ( 5:01 a.m. - 9:59 p.m. ) , Soldier members are required to wear a face mask covering unless actively eating or drinking."

Harris noted that the commanding general issued the order&nbsp; "in light of the increased community spread of COVID-19 and to ensure the health, safety and well being of our Fort Riley community."

The general order comes after Riley County has reported 156 positive COVID-19 cases during the pandemic, including 83 active cases at the present time. Health officials confirmed 29&nbsp; of those positive cases on Monday and 24 on Wednesday.

"I recognize that many of the businesses in Aggieville are strong supporters of our Soldiers and I understand that many of our Soldiers enjoy spending their off-duty hours in the district," said Harris. "However preventing the community spread of COVID-19 is essential to our ability to fulfill our requirements in support of our nation."

In making the announcement Harris&nbsp; noted that both Riley and Geary counties have issued updated public health orders in response to the increase in COVID-19 cases in the communities and the state. "As of today ( Wednesday ) over 12,500 Kansans have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and 765 of those cases have been diagnosed within our six surrounding counties. While we have seen a gradual reopening of our state, local community and installation over the past few weeks we've also experienced a growth in our case rate," said Harris. "Continued adherence to our preventive and protective measures is essential to deterring a surge in our immediate area."

Fort Riley Soldiers are prohibited from visiting Aggieville in Manhattan from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. That is part of a general order issued by the commanding general, Major General John Kolasheski, after the announcement of numerous positive COVID-19 cases in Riley County in recent days.The announcement of the commanding general's order was made by the Command Sgt. Major for the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley, Ray Harris, during a town hall meeting at Fort Riley on Wednesday. "Additionally while visiting Aggieville during authorized hours, 0501 until 2159 ( 5:01 a.m. - 9:59 p.m. ) , Soldier members are required to wear a face mask covering unless actively eating or drinking."Harris noted that the commanding general issued the order&nbsp; "in light of the increased community spread of COVID-19 and to ensure the health, safety and well being of our Fort Riley community."The general order comes after Riley County has reported 156 positive COVID-19 cases during the pandemic, including 83 active cases at the present time. Health officials confirmed 29&nbsp; of those positive cases on Monday and 24 on Wednesday."I recognize that many of the businesses in Aggieville are strong supporters of our Soldiers and I understand that many of our Soldiers enjoy spending their off-duty hours in the district," said Harris. "However preventing the community spread of COVID-19 is essential to our ability to fulfill our requirements in support of our nation."In making the announcement Harris&nbsp; noted that both Riley and Geary counties have issued updated public health orders in response to the increase in COVID-19 cases in the communities and the state. "As of today ( Wednesday ) over 12,500 Kansans have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and 765 of those cases have been diagnosed within our six surrounding counties. While we have seen a gradual reopening of our state, local community and installation over the past few weeks we've also experienced a growth in our case rate," said Harris. "Continued adherence to our preventive and protective measures is essential to deterring a surge in our immediate area."

General Order bars Fort Riley Soldiers from visiting Manhattan's  Aggieville during the late night - early morning hours

In their Wednesday County Community Update Pottawatomie County officials reported eight new positive COVID-19 cases, bringing the county's total since the pandemic began to 55. A total of 18 of those cases are active, 37 patients have recovered and 19 tests are pending.

In their Wednesday County Community Update Pottawatomie County officials reported eight new positive COVID-19 cases, bringing the county's total since the pandemic began to 55. A total of 18 of those cases are active, 37 patients have recovered and 19 tests are pending.

Pottawatomie County reports eight new positive COVID-19 cases

&nbsp;The Riley County Health Department (RCHD) has received notice of 24 new positive patients since the Monday, June 22 report. 

According to the Health Department the total for the county is now 156, with 83 active cases. Half of all patients who have tested positive in Riley County are between the age of 18-24.

“Younger patients often have mild symptoms and may not even be aware they have the virus,” said Local Health Officer Julie Gibbs. “This is one of the reasons why it is crucial to maintain social distancing and good hand hygiene practices anytime you’re out in public. Please stay home as much as possible and avoid situations where social distancing is difficult to maintain.” Everyone is advised to take action to prevent catching or spreading COVID-19. These actions include the following:

Find more information from the CDC at&nbsp;<a href="https://gmail.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=95221c46aac4689e49a7c0bfc&amp;id=61ad8a89b9&amp;e=fd06d17886" target="_blank">https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html</a> Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan has 2 positive patients, one of those patients is on a ventilator. There is also 1 Person Under Investigation (PUI) currently hospitalized. A PUI is a person who has symptoms of COVID-19 and is waiting for test results. Anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19 should call the Riley County Health Department’s Screening Hotline to speak with a nurse at 785-323-6400. The Screening Hotline is staffed Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. through the month of June. If you have an emergency, call 911.

&nbsp;The Riley County Health Department (RCHD) has received notice of 24 new positive patients since the Monday, June 22 report. According to the Health Department the total for the county is now 156, with 83 active cases. Half of all patients who have tested positive in Riley County are between the age of 18-24.

“Younger patients often have mild symptoms and may not even be aware they have the virus,” said Local Health Officer Julie Gibbs. “This is one of the reasons why it is crucial to maintain social distancing and good hand hygiene practices anytime you’re out in public. Please stay home as much as possible and avoid situations where social distancing is difficult to maintain.” Everyone is advised to take action to prevent catching or spreading COVID-19. These actions include the following:<ul>
 <li>Stay home as much as possible.</li><li>Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water is not available, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.</li><li>Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.</li><li>Stay at least 6-ft away from others if you have to go out in public.</li><li>Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth mask if you have to go out in public. (Not recommended for children 2 and younger.)</li><li>Cover coughs and sneezes with an elbow or tissue. Throw the used tissue away and immediately wash your hands.</li><li>Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily -- including phones, keyboards, doorknobs, handles and light switches – with an EPA-registered disinfectant.</li>
 </ul> Find more information from the CDC at&nbsp;<a href="https://gmail.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=95221c46aac4689e49a7c0bfc&amp;id=61ad8a89b9&amp;e=fd06d17886" target="_blank">https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html</a> Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan has 2 positive patients, one of those patients is on a ventilator. There is also 1 Person Under Investigation (PUI) currently hospitalized. A PUI is a person who has symptoms of COVID-19 and is waiting for test results. Anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19 should call the Riley County Health Department’s Screening Hotline to speak with a nurse at 785-323-6400. The Screening Hotline is staffed Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. through the month of June. If you have an emergency, call 911.

Positive number of COVID-19 cases in Riley County rises higher

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s call for another round of stimulus checks to most taxpayers is getting a lukewarm endorsement from his GOP allies on Capitol Hill, but it’s emerging as an early area of potential agreement with Democrats like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the next coronavirus bill.

In a fractured Washington, that could be a foundation of a winning coalition as lawmakers inch toward talks on the fifth, and possibly final, coronavirus relief measure before November’s elections.

Trump told an interviewer Monday that he supports another round of direct economic stimulus payments similar to the $1,200 checks issued to most individuals earlier this year.

“Yeah, we are,” Trump told a correspondent for Scripps television stations. “We will be doing another stimulus package. It’ll be very good. It’ll be very generous.”

On Tuesday, neither Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin — the lead White House negotiator on the first package — nor Trump’s GOP allies raced to endorse the idea.

“As we’ve said before, we’re talking about a bunch of different ideas that we may need to do in another bill,” Mnuchin said after a lunch meeting with Senate Republicans where the topic received little discussion. “We’re going to take our time and make sure that we’re thoughtful. Whatever we do, it will be much more targeted, much more focused on jobs.”

Congress passed the first round of checks nearly unanimously in March as part of a coronavirus response bill, at a cost of almost $300 billion. Both parties said the aid was essential as coronavirus lockdowns brought the economy to a near standstill. The jobless rate is still high at almost 15% nationwide, though retail sales have rebounded.

House Democrats are fully onboard with another round, having included direct payments in a more than $3 trillion measure that they pushed through the House in May. But views in the GOP are more mixed, despite Trump’s support.

“He’s always wanted a second round of stimulus checks, and probably for good reason,” said Sen. Ken Cramer, R-N.D., who mostly endorsed the idea. “What we do next in addition to something like that should be very targeted, very specific to restarting, really restarting the economy. ... I think direct contribution installments to individuals could be a nice, a nice stimulus.”

Skeptics of direct stimulus payments say they are not targeted enough, but they have an undeniable political appeal, especially with the elections less than five months away.

Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has made it clear that he does not want negotiations with Democrats and Pelosi on another COVID-19 response bill to begin until next month.

Negotiations on the legislation are also likely to center on providing another round of aid to states and local governments and extending unemployment benefits — though not the $600 per week supplement enacted in March.

“My preference would be to extend unemployment insurance, but to do that in a more limited way, and a more targeted way,” said Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, who also wants adjustments to payroll subsidies for businesses and aid to states and local governments seeking help with their ballooning budget deficits.

Most Republicans know that Trump’s posture means it’s likely a cinch that another round of direct payments will make it into the upcoming bill, despite their reservations. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., discounted a reporter’s suggestion that there’s “pretty strong skepticism” by Republicans toward another set of stimulus checks.

“I don’t think it got to the point you can say that,” Blunt said.

Several Republicans, however, said they want to tighten eligibility for the stimulus payments to try to control costs.

“But we need targeted tailoring of any kind of stimulus measures if we really want to get it to the people who are hurting the most,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593001408779.png" alt="President Donald Trump spoke with reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday. Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Donald Trump spoke with reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday. Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s call for another round of stimulus checks to most taxpayers is getting a lukewarm endorsement from his GOP allies on Capitol Hill, but it’s emerging as an early area of potential agreement with Democrats like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the next coronavirus bill.In a fractured Washington, that could be a foundation of a winning coalition as lawmakers inch toward talks on the fifth, and possibly final, coronavirus relief measure before November’s elections.Trump told an interviewer Monday that he supports another round of direct economic stimulus payments similar to the $1,200 checks issued to most individuals earlier this year.“Yeah, we are,” Trump told a correspondent for Scripps television stations. “We will be doing another stimulus package. It’ll be very good. It’ll be very generous.”On Tuesday, neither Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin — the lead White House negotiator on the first package — nor Trump’s GOP allies raced to endorse the idea.“As we’ve said before, we’re talking about a bunch of different ideas that we may need to do in another bill,” Mnuchin said after a lunch meeting with Senate Republicans where the topic received little discussion. “We’re going to take our time and make sure that we’re thoughtful. Whatever we do, it will be much more targeted, much more focused on jobs.”Congress passed the first round of checks nearly unanimously in March as part of a coronavirus response bill, at a cost of almost $300 billion. Both parties said the aid was essential as coronavirus lockdowns brought the economy to a near standstill. The jobless rate is still high at almost 15% nationwide, though retail sales have rebounded.House Democrats are fully onboard with another round, having included direct payments in a more than $3 trillion measure that they pushed through the House in May. But views in the GOP are more mixed, despite Trump’s support.“He’s always wanted a second round of stimulus checks, and probably for good reason,” said Sen. Ken Cramer, R-N.D., who mostly endorsed the idea. “What we do next in addition to something like that should be very targeted, very specific to restarting, really restarting the economy. ... I think direct contribution installments to individuals could be a nice, a nice stimulus.”Skeptics of direct stimulus payments say they are not targeted enough, but they have an undeniable political appeal, especially with the elections less than five months away.Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has made it clear that he does not want negotiations with Democrats and Pelosi on another COVID-19 response bill to begin until next month.Negotiations on the legislation are also likely to center on providing another round of aid to states and local governments and extending unemployment benefits — though not the $600 per week supplement enacted in March.“My preference would be to extend unemployment insurance, but to do that in a more limited way, and a more targeted way,” said Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, who also wants adjustments to payroll subsidies for businesses and aid to states and local governments seeking help with their ballooning budget deficits.Most Republicans know that Trump’s posture means it’s likely a cinch that another round of direct payments will make it into the upcoming bill, despite their reservations. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., discounted a reporter’s suggestion that there’s “pretty strong skepticism” by Republicans toward another set of stimulus checks.“I don’t think it got to the point you can say that,” Blunt said.Several Republicans, however, said they want to tighten eligibility for the stimulus payments to try to control costs.“But we need targeted tailoring of any kind of stimulus measures if we really want to get it to the people who are hurting the most,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.

Debate continues on sending another virus stimulus check

WASHINGTON (AP) — The next few weeks are critical to tamping down a disturbing coronavirus surge, Dr. Anthony Fauci told Congress on Tuesday — issuing a plea for people to avoid crowds and wear masks.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?473229-1/white-house-coronavirus-task-force-members-testify-federal-response-pandemic&amp;live&amp;vod">Click here</a>&nbsp;to watch a replay of the testimony

Fauci and other top health officials also said they have not been asked to slow down virus testing, in contrast to Trump’s claim last weekend that he had ordered fewer tests be performed because they were uncovering too many infections. Trump said earlier Tuesday that he wasn’t kidding when he made that remark.

“We will be doing more testing,” Fauci, infectious disease chief at the National Institutes of Health, pledged to a House committee conducting oversight of the Trump administration’s response to the pandemic.

The leading public health officials spent more than five hours testifying before the committee at a fraught moment, with coronavirus cases rising in about half the states and political polarization competing for attention with public health recommendations.

Fauci told lawmakers he understands the pent-up desire to get back to normal as the U.S. begins emerging from months of stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. But that has “to be a gradual step-by-step process and not throwing caution to the wind,” he said.

“Plan A, don’t go in a crowd. Plan B, if you do, make sure you wear a mask,” Fauci said.

Troubling surges worsened Tuesday in several states, with Arizona, California, Mississippi, Nevada and Texas setting single-day records for new coronavirus cases, and some governors saying they’ll consider reinstating restrictions or delaying plans to ease up in order to help slow the spread of the virus.

Arizona, where Trump was headed for a speech at a Phoenix megachurch, reported a new daily record of nearly 3,600 additional coronavirus infections Tuesday. Arizona emerged as a COVID-19 hot spot after Republican Gov. Doug Ducey lifted his stay-home orders in mid-May. Last week he allowed cities and counties to require masks in public places and many have done so.

Texas surpassed 5,000 new cases for a single day for the first time — just days after it eclipsed 4,000 new cases for the first time — as America’s largest pediatric hospital began taking adult patients to free up bed space in Houston. The infection rate in Texas has doubled since late May. And Nevada surpassed a record one-day increase for the fourth time in the past eight days. Other states also were experiencing worrisome surges, including Louisiana, Utah and South Carolina.

Another worrisome trend: an increase in infections among young adults. Fauci said while COVID-19 tends to be less severe in younger people, some of them do get very sick and even die. And younger people also may be more likely to show no symptoms yet still spread the virus.

If people say, “’I’m young, I’m healthy, who cares’ — you should care, not only for yourself but for the impact you might have” on sickening someone more vulnerable, Fauci said.

About 2.3 million Americans have been infected and some 120,000 have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Republican Rep. David McKinley of West Virginia asked if Fauci regretted that the American public wasn’t urged sooner to wear face masks, and then interrupted before the visibly annoyed scientist finished answering.

Fauci said he didn’t regret the change in recommendations. Early in the pandemic there was a “paucity of equipment” for health workers “who put themselves daily in harm’s way” and “we did not want to divert” those scarce supplies, he said.

Scientists eventually recommended the general public use cloth masks, after they better understood that people with no symptoms could be spreading the virus —

Trump, meanwhile, doubled down on testing claims that have public health experts appalled, tweeting Tuesday:

“Cases are going up in the U.S. because we are testing far more than any other country, and ever expanding. With smaller testing we would show fewer cases! “

Less testing in fact means more infections going undetected. The U.S. was slow in ramping up and currently is testing about 500,000 people a day. Many experts say to control the spread of the virus, it should be testing 900,000 or more.

Brett Giroir, a Health and Human Services assistant secretary, told lawmakers Tuesday the next step is testing patient samples in large batches to stretch limited supplies, which would expand U.S. screening between fivefold and tenfold.

Instead of testing each person individually, health workers would pool samples from 50, 100 or more people from the same office or school, for example. A negative result would clear everyone, while a positive would require each person to be individually re-tested.

And Dr. Robert Redfield, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, added that it’s now recommended for workers in nursing homes — hard-hit by the virus — to be tested weekly.

As for the anxiously awaited vaccine, Fauci said he believes “it will be when and not if” it arrives, and he’s “cautiously optimistic” that some vaccine could be available at the end of the year.

More than a dozen vaccine candidates are in various stages of testing around the globe, and the U.S. next month is poised to begin the largest study — in 30,000 people — to get the needed proof that one really works. Meanwhile, countries, including the U.S. under a program called “Operation Warp Speed,” are beginning to stockpile millions of doses of different shots, in hopes at least some will prove usable.

Health officials assured lawmakers Tuesday that there won’t be shortcuts on safety.

“We absolutely must maintain regulatory independence and make the right decision for the American people based on the science and the data,” said Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn.

Democrats blasted Trump for confusing the public with erroneous statements — from testing to masks to unproven treatments — and ignoring the public health experts’ advice.

“It costs lives,” Rep. Kathy Castor of Florida said of Trump’s false claims. She urged the public health specialists to do more to counter the president: “We really expect you to be more outspoken.”

Pushed on whether schools should reopen in August and September, Redfield insisted that will vary not just by state but by school district, depending on how many infections are in a particular area.

“Many jurisdictions will be reopening schools,” and CDC will soon issue some guidelines to help, he said.

Fauci noted that schools should tailor their decisions to local conditions, saying some might need few restrictions and others more. He offered the same advice to colleges, saying they should assume some students will get infected and that there must be ways to keep them and their classmates safe.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government’s top infectious disease expert told a House committee on Tuesday he believes “it will be when and not if” there will be a COVID-19 vaccine and that he remains “cautiously optimistic” that some will be ready at the end of the year.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?473229-1/white-house-coronavirus-task-force-members-testify-federal-response-pandemic&amp;live&amp;vod">Click here</a> to watch a replay of the testimony

Dr. Anthony Fauci has returned to Capitol Hill at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1b92ce21f8ddf7eefb634b92fee38fed">fraught moment</a>&nbsp;in the nation’s pandemic response, with coronavirus cases rising in about half the states and political polarization competing for attention with public health recommendations.

Fauci was testifying along with the heads of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and a top official at the Department of Health and Human Services.

Since Fauci’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e64f20bbacb7d48d15e1d76339220486">last appearance at a high-profile hearing</a>&nbsp;more than a month ago, the U.S. has been emerging from weeks of stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. But it’s being done in an uneven way, with some states far less cautious than others. A trio of states with Republican governors who are bullish on reopening — Arizona, Florida and Texas — are among those seeing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/feb4c26d9364497cf82ee7c0c1b1b3d5">worrisome increases in cases</a>.

Last week, Vice President Mike Pence published an opinion article in The Wall Street Journal saying the administration’s efforts have strengthened the nation’s ability to counter the virus and should be “a cause for celebration.”

Then Trump said at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1a59b4efe97f2249d414ae4f0b3c6495">his weekend rally in Tulsa</a>&nbsp;that he had asked administration officials to slow down testing, because too many positive cases are turning up. Many rally goers did not wear masks, and for some that was an act of defiance against what they see as government intrusion. White House officials later tried to walk back Trump’s comment on testing, suggesting it wasn’t meant to be taken literally.

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone of New Jersey said during Tuesday’s hearing that Trump’s testing comment at the rally “was an extremely reckless action, and unfortunately it continues the president’s pattern of ignoring the advice of his own public health experts.”

Trump, departing the White House for a visit to Arizona on Tuesday, played down those comments, saying under his administration the U.S. is doing more testing than any other country. Trump’s trip includes a rally at a megachurch.

Fauci has recently warned that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f401d034122b820a89773432cbf51152">the U.S. is still in the first wave</a>&nbsp;of the pandemic and has continued to urge the American public to practice social distancing. And, in a recent ABC News interview, he said political demonstrations such as protests against racial injustice are “risky” to all involved. Asked if that applied to Trump rallies, he said it did. Fauci continues to recognize widespread testing as critical for catching clusters of COVID-19 cases before they turn into full outbreaks in a given community.

About 2.3 million Americans have been sickened in the pandemic, and some 120,000 have died,&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank">according to data from Johns Hopkins University</a>.

Fauci, who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is joined by CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield, FDA chief Dr. Stephen Hahn and the head of the U.S. Public Health Service, Adm. Brett Giroir.

Giroir was tapped by the White House to oversee the expansion of coronavirus testing. But he gained notoriety after a whistleblower complaint flagged him for trying to push&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0fbe485717c9a74e6d6c48aee7d208ae">a malaria drug touted by Trump</a>&nbsp;to treat COVID-19 without conclusive scientific evidence. The FDA has since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/33f67f8aa5ef2280215087f8e5364017">withdrawn its emergency use authorization</a>&nbsp;for hydroxychloroquine.

“There have been a lot of unfortunate missteps in the Trump administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Pallone said. “As communities across the country ease social distancing guidance and reopen their economies, it is critically important that both the administration and Congress remain focused on containing the spread of the coronavirus and providing the resources and support Americans need during this time of crisis.”

There is still no vaccine for COVID-19, and there are no treatments specifically developed for the disease, although the antiviral drug remdesivir has been shown to help some patients, as well as a steroid called dexamethasone, and plasma from patients who have recovered.

Since Fauci last testified, hospital physicians have become more skilled in treating coronavirus patients with the techniques and medications at their disposal. The U.S. continues to ramp up testing, with some 27.5 million Americans, or more than 8% of the population, tested thus far. But most communities still lack enough health workers trained in doing contact tracing, the work of identifying people who have had interactions with an infected person. That could make it more difficult to tamp down emerging outbreaks.

The Energy and Commerce Committee has oversight over drugs and vaccines, among other facets of the U.S. health care system. Committee Democrats have been harshly critical of the administration. However, not all Republicans have lined up to defend the White House. Some GOP members were growing concerned early in the year that the administration wasn’t doing enough to prepare.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592928665531.png" alt="Dr. Anthony Fauci prior to his testimony on Tuesday-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Anthony Fauci prior to his testimony on Tuesday-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The next few weeks are critical to tamping down a disturbing coronavirus surge, Dr. Anthony Fauci told Congress on Tuesday — issuing a plea for people to avoid crowds and wear masks.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?473229-1/white-house-coronavirus-task-force-members-testify-federal-response-pandemic&amp;live&amp;vod">Click here</a>&nbsp;to watch a replay of the testimonyFauci and other top health officials also said they have not been asked to slow down virus testing, in contrast to Trump’s claim last weekend that he had ordered fewer tests be performed because they were uncovering too many infections. Trump said earlier Tuesday that he wasn’t kidding when he made that remark.“We will be doing more testing,” Fauci, infectious disease chief at the National Institutes of Health, pledged to a House committee conducting oversight of the Trump administration’s response to the pandemic.The leading public health officials spent more than five hours testifying before the committee at a fraught moment, with coronavirus cases rising in about half the states and political polarization competing for attention with public health recommendations.Fauci told lawmakers he understands the pent-up desire to get back to normal as the U.S. begins emerging from months of stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. But that has “to be a gradual step-by-step process and not throwing caution to the wind,” he said.“Plan A, don’t go in a crowd. Plan B, if you do, make sure you wear a mask,” Fauci said.Troubling surges worsened Tuesday in several states, with Arizona, California, Mississippi, Nevada and Texas setting single-day records for new coronavirus cases, and some governors saying they’ll consider reinstating restrictions or delaying plans to ease up in order to help slow the spread of the virus.Arizona, where Trump was headed for a speech at a Phoenix megachurch, reported a new daily record of nearly 3,600 additional coronavirus infections Tuesday. Arizona emerged as a COVID-19 hot spot after Republican Gov. Doug Ducey lifted his stay-home orders in mid-May. Last week he allowed cities and counties to require masks in public places and many have done so.Texas surpassed 5,000 new cases for a single day for the first time — just days after it eclipsed 4,000 new cases for the first time — as America’s largest pediatric hospital began taking adult patients to free up bed space in Houston. The infection rate in Texas has doubled since late May. And Nevada surpassed a record one-day increase for the fourth time in the past eight days. Other states also were experiencing worrisome surges, including Louisiana, Utah and South Carolina.Another worrisome trend: an increase in infections among young adults. Fauci said while COVID-19 tends to be less severe in younger people, some of them do get very sick and even die. And younger people also may be more likely to show no symptoms yet still spread the virus.If people say, “’I’m young, I’m healthy, who cares’ — you should care, not only for yourself but for the impact you might have” on sickening someone more vulnerable, Fauci said.About 2.3 million Americans have been infected and some 120,000 have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.Republican Rep. David McKinley of West Virginia asked if Fauci regretted that the American public wasn’t urged sooner to wear face masks, and then interrupted before the visibly annoyed scientist finished answering.Fauci said he didn’t regret the change in recommendations. Early in the pandemic there was a “paucity of equipment” for health workers “who put themselves daily in harm’s way” and “we did not want to divert” those scarce supplies, he said.Scientists eventually recommended the general public use cloth masks, after they better understood that people with no symptoms could be spreading the virus —Trump, meanwhile, doubled down on testing claims that have public health experts appalled, tweeting Tuesday:“Cases are going up in the U.S. because we are testing far more than any other country, and ever expanding. With smaller testing we would show fewer cases! “Less testing in fact means more infections going undetected. The U.S. was slow in ramping up and currently is testing about 500,000 people a day. Many experts say to control the spread of the virus, it should be testing 900,000 or more.Brett Giroir, a Health and Human Services assistant secretary, told lawmakers Tuesday the next step is testing patient samples in large batches to stretch limited supplies, which would expand U.S. screening between fivefold and tenfold.Instead of testing each person individually, health workers would pool samples from 50, 100 or more people from the same office or school, for example. A negative result would clear everyone, while a positive would require each person to be individually re-tested.And Dr. Robert Redfield, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, added that it’s now recommended for workers in nursing homes — hard-hit by the virus — to be tested weekly.As for the anxiously awaited vaccine, Fauci said he believes “it will be when and not if” it arrives, and he’s “cautiously optimistic” that some vaccine could be available at the end of the year.More than a dozen vaccine candidates are in various stages of testing around the globe, and the U.S. next month is poised to begin the largest study — in 30,000 people — to get the needed proof that one really works. Meanwhile, countries, including the U.S. under a program called “Operation Warp Speed,” are beginning to stockpile millions of doses of different shots, in hopes at least some will prove usable.Health officials assured lawmakers Tuesday that there won’t be shortcuts on safety.“We absolutely must maintain regulatory independence and make the right decision for the American people based on the science and the data,” said Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn.Democrats blasted Trump for confusing the public with erroneous statements — from testing to masks to unproven treatments — and ignoring the public health experts’ advice.“It costs lives,” Rep. Kathy Castor of Florida said of Trump’s false claims. She urged the public health specialists to do more to counter the president: “We really expect you to be more outspoken.”Pushed on whether schools should reopen in August and September, Redfield insisted that will vary not just by state but by school district, depending on how many infections are in a particular area.“Many jurisdictions will be reopening schools,” and CDC will soon issue some guidelines to help, he said.Fauci noted that schools should tailor their decisions to local conditions, saying some might need few restrictions and others more. He offered the same advice to colleges, saying they should assume some students will get infected and that there must be ways to keep them and their classmates safe.----------WASHINGTON (AP) — The government’s top infectious disease expert told a House committee on Tuesday he believes “it will be when and not if” there will be a COVID-19 vaccine and that he remains “cautiously optimistic” that some will be ready at the end of the year.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?473229-1/white-house-coronavirus-task-force-members-testify-federal-response-pandemic&amp;live&amp;vod">Click here</a> to watch a replay of the testimonyDr. Anthony Fauci has returned to Capitol Hill at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1b92ce21f8ddf7eefb634b92fee38fed">fraught moment</a>&nbsp;in the nation’s pandemic response, with coronavirus cases rising in about half the states and political polarization competing for attention with public health recommendations.Fauci was testifying along with the heads of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and a top official at the Department of Health and Human Services.Since Fauci’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e64f20bbacb7d48d15e1d76339220486">last appearance at a high-profile hearing</a>&nbsp;more than a month ago, the U.S. has been emerging from weeks of stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. But it’s being done in an uneven way, with some states far less cautious than others. A trio of states with Republican governors who are bullish on reopening — Arizona, Florida and Texas — are among those seeing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/feb4c26d9364497cf82ee7c0c1b1b3d5">worrisome increases in cases</a>.Last week, Vice President Mike Pence published an opinion article in The Wall Street Journal saying the administration’s efforts have strengthened the nation’s ability to counter the virus and should be “a cause for celebration.”Then Trump said at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1a59b4efe97f2249d414ae4f0b3c6495">his weekend rally in Tulsa</a>&nbsp;that he had asked administration officials to slow down testing, because too many positive cases are turning up. Many rally goers did not wear masks, and for some that was an act of defiance against what they see as government intrusion. White House officials later tried to walk back Trump’s comment on testing, suggesting it wasn’t meant to be taken literally.House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone of New Jersey said during Tuesday’s hearing that Trump’s testing comment at the rally “was an extremely reckless action, and unfortunately it continues the president’s pattern of ignoring the advice of his own public health experts.”Trump, departing the White House for a visit to Arizona on Tuesday, played down those comments, saying under his administration the U.S. is doing more testing than any other country. Trump’s trip includes a rally at a megachurch.Fauci has recently warned that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f401d034122b820a89773432cbf51152">the U.S. is still in the first wave</a>&nbsp;of the pandemic and has continued to urge the American public to practice social distancing. And, in a recent ABC News interview, he said political demonstrations such as protests against racial injustice are “risky” to all involved. Asked if that applied to Trump rallies, he said it did. Fauci continues to recognize widespread testing as critical for catching clusters of COVID-19 cases before they turn into full outbreaks in a given community.About 2.3 million Americans have been sickened in the pandemic, and some 120,000 have died,&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank">according to data from Johns Hopkins University</a>.Fauci, who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is joined by CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield, FDA chief Dr. Stephen Hahn and the head of the U.S. Public Health Service, Adm. Brett Giroir.Giroir was tapped by the White House to oversee the expansion of coronavirus testing. But he gained notoriety after a whistleblower complaint flagged him for trying to push&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0fbe485717c9a74e6d6c48aee7d208ae">a malaria drug touted by Trump</a>&nbsp;to treat COVID-19 without conclusive scientific evidence. The FDA has since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/33f67f8aa5ef2280215087f8e5364017">withdrawn its emergency use authorization</a>&nbsp;for hydroxychloroquine.“There have been a lot of unfortunate missteps in the Trump administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Pallone said. “As communities across the country ease social distancing guidance and reopen their economies, it is critically important that both the administration and Congress remain focused on containing the spread of the coronavirus and providing the resources and support Americans need during this time of crisis.”There is still no vaccine for COVID-19, and there are no treatments specifically developed for the disease, although the antiviral drug remdesivir has been shown to help some patients, as well as a steroid called dexamethasone, and plasma from patients who have recovered.Since Fauci last testified, hospital physicians have become more skilled in treating coronavirus patients with the techniques and medications at their disposal. The U.S. continues to ramp up testing, with some 27.5 million Americans, or more than 8% of the population, tested thus far. But most communities still lack enough health workers trained in doing contact tracing, the work of identifying people who have had interactions with an infected person. That could make it more difficult to tamp down emerging outbreaks.The Energy and Commerce Committee has oversight over drugs and vaccines, among other facets of the U.S. health care system. Committee Democrats have been harshly critical of the administration. However, not all Republicans have lined up to defend the White House. Some GOP members were growing concerned early in the year that the administration wasn’t doing enough to prepare.

🎥 Fauci: Next few weeks critical to tamping down virus spikes

Geary County received information Tuesday about two new cases of COVID-19. Emergency Management Director Garry Berges said that they include a 22-year old man and a 23-year old woman, who are in quarantine at their residences.

The Geary County Health Department continues to do contact tracing on both individuals. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began there have been a total of 38 positive coronavirus cases diagnosed in the county.

Avoid crowds, wear masks when around others, practice social distancing, and do frequent hand washing.

Geary County received information Tuesday about two new cases of COVID-19. Emergency Management Director Garry Berges said that they include a 22-year old man and a 23-year old woman, who are in quarantine at their residences.The Geary County Health Department continues to do contact tracing on both individuals. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began there have been a total of 38 positive coronavirus cases diagnosed in the county.Avoid crowds, wear masks when around others, practice social distancing, and do frequent hand washing.

Two more cases of coronavirus confirmed in Geary County

Due to the recent increase in positive cases, more hospitalizations, and heightened evidence of community spread, Local Health Officer Julie Gibbs has issued Health Order No. 13. This order will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, June 24 and will remain in effect for 14 days, or until amended, superseded, or rescinded. “The data for our community indicates the need for more restrictions,” said Local Health Officer Julie Gibbs. “We will take steps to protect public safety and prevent the healthcare system from being overwhelmed. If these measures are not successful, additional restrictions may be necessary.” The mass gathering size will be reduced to 50 people ( down from 100 ) and large venues will continue to be closed.&nbsp; Businesses and other locations that are open shall comply with the following additional restrictions:&nbsp;

Read the order at&nbsp;<a href="https://gmail.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=95221c46aac4689e49a7c0bfc&amp;id=611c465779&amp;e=fd06d17886" target="_blank">https://www.rileycountyks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19060/Local-Health-Order-No-13</a> Social distancing practices should also continue:

Due to the recent increase in positive cases, more hospitalizations, and heightened evidence of community spread, Local Health Officer Julie Gibbs has issued Health Order No. 13. This order will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, June 24 and will remain in effect for 14 days, or until amended, superseded, or rescinded. “The data for our community indicates the need for more restrictions,” said Local Health Officer Julie Gibbs. “We will take steps to protect public safety and prevent the healthcare system from being overwhelmed. If these measures are not successful, additional restrictions may be necessary.” The mass gathering size will be reduced to 50 people ( down from 100 ) and large venues will continue to be closed.&nbsp; Businesses and other locations that are open shall comply with the following additional restrictions:&nbsp;<ol>
 <li>Restaurants and bars shall only operate at a max occupancy of 75% of their posted limits (including employees).</li><li>All restaurants and bars shall screen each employee prior to each shift.&nbsp;This screening shall include asking about symptoms, travel, contact, and checking temperatures. These records shall be available upon request.&nbsp;<a href="https://gmail.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=95221c46aac4689e49a7c0bfc&amp;id=10e3f9eaa1&amp;e=fd06d17886" target="_blank">The form is provided as Appendix A to Order No. 13</a>. All other businesses are strongly encouraged to screen employees.</li><li>Any businesses or other locations found in non-compliance with this order, or a source of significant disease outbreak, or as determined and notified by the Local Public Health Officer shall close.</li><li>All businesses and locations are required to take proactive measures to ensure compliance with Recommended Business Practices as published by the Centers for Disease Control and industry-specific guidance by trade groups. Nothing in this order shall be interpreted to require that any business or location open if they choose not to.</li>
 </ol>Read the order at&nbsp;<a href="https://gmail.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=95221c46aac4689e49a7c0bfc&amp;id=611c465779&amp;e=fd06d17886" target="_blank">https://www.rileycountyks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19060/Local-Health-Order-No-13</a> Social distancing practices should also continue:<ul>
 <li>Maintain at least 6-ft of distance.</li><li>Wash hands with soap and water for at least twenty seconds as frequently as possible (or using hand sanitizer).</li><li>Cover nose and mouth with a cloth mask in public situations where social distancing is difficult to maintain (such as in stores).&nbsp;</li><li>Cover coughs or sneezes (into the sleeve or elbow, not into the hands).</li><li>People in high-risk categories are advised to continue taking extra precautions and to limit their contact with the public.</li>
 </ul>

Coronavirus Update