July 14, 2020
As of July 14, Johnson County has:
3,158 positive cases of COVID-19 (increase of 97 since yesterday)
93 deaths (no additional deaths since yesterday)
53,047 negative tests have been reported to date (increase of 1,286 since yesterday)
1,103 presumed recovered (increase of 29 since yesterday)
Positive cases represent those reported to the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment by physicians, private laboratories, hospitals and the Kansas Department of Health and Environmental Laboratories. Presumed Recovered are surviving individuals not hospitalized and more than 30 days since symptom onset. These numbers are not representative of the total number of individuals with COVID-19 in Johnson County. All data is provisional and subject to change.
NOTE: This e-newsletter will be provided Monday through Friday. Look for dashboard updates on Saturday and Sunday, by visiting jocogov.org/coronavirus, where information will be updated seven days per week.
NEW: JCDHE Director provides COVID-19 update to BOCC
On Tuesday, July 14, Johnson County Department of Health and Environment Director Dr. Sanmi Areola provided a written update to the Board of County Commissioners on COVID-19.

Highlights from the briefing include:
  • COVID-19 cases and clusters are increasing (In the first 10 days of July, we had more cases reported than were reported in the entire month of June).
  • The increase in cases is not explained by increased testing. The percent positive is increasing.
  • Most of the new cases are occurring outside of long-term care facilities.
  • 30-40 people are working daily on case investigation and contract tracing activities.
  • JCDHE is exploring ways to increase testing capacity. Demand for testing has increased.
NEW: Dr. LeMaster addresses different masks and levels of protection
NEW: Businesses pledge support of mask requirement
More than 100 of the region’s business, civic and nonprofit leaders have signed an open letter circulated by Comeback KC pledging to require employees and customers to wear face masks at work and in their business facilities. Signatories commit to these key steps to help protect our community
  • Require employees to wear masks, indoors whenever 6 feet of spacing cannot be accomplished, and outdoors whenever there is prolonged contact (10+ minutes) within 6 feet.
  • Require customers and clients to wear masks in stores and facilities;
  • Provide high-quality masks to employees, clients and customers who need them.

“We want Kansas City to bounce back safely, and one of the most practical ways to ensure that is to wear a mask,” said Wendy Guillies, President and CEO, Kauffman Foundation, and one of the signatories to the document.

The open letter notes that the science is clear - wearing masks is the easiest, best way to reduce the spread of the coronavirus in the community, keeping Kansas City employees and customers safe, and allowing businesses, civic organizations, and nonprofit agencies to remain open.

CDC guidance on gatherings
Family and friend parties and other gatherings are a typical part of the summer, but this summer is unlike any other with the spread of COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourages you to follow these guidelines in social gatherinng situations to prevent the spread of the disease:

  • Remind guests to stay home if they are sick.
  • Encourage physical distancing.
  • Wear cloth face coverings.
  • Clean hands often.
  • Limit the number of people handling or serving food.
  • Limit contact with commonly touched surfaces or shared items.

UPDATE: COVID-19 in Johnson County, in the news
Keeping the public informed of the county's response to COVID-19 is a high priority. In addition to this e-newsletter, be sure to also follow our local media outlets for additional information.

See below for a featured story of the day:


Note: The Johnson County Fair is funded in part by Johnson County Government, but is not an event hosted by Johnson County Government.
UPDATE: News from the state
On July 14, Governor Laura Kelly announced $6,202,603 in grant awards to state and local jurisdictions in preventing, preparing for and responding to the pandemic, as well as funds to support families impacted by domestic violence.

In Johnson County, SAFEHOME was awarded $25,783 in grant funds. Learn more about the grants.

Also at the state, the Governor provided through a news release an update on the Kansas Department of Labor unemployment system. Additional IT and call center workers have been hired. KDOL has also launched a virtual agent named "Amelia" to answer the agency's most frequently asked questions regarding unemployment benefits. Additional department changes are expected. Learn more about the latest on unemployment system improvements.
NEW: State Board of Education holds meeting
The State Board of Education met today to discuss the upcoming school year, among other items. The discussion about reopening schools will continue tomorrow. Watch the meeting live, beginning at 9 a.m., on Wednesday, July 15.

Additional information about schools reopening is expected during a Governor's news conference at 3 p.m., tomorrow. Watch the news conference live.
NEW: Quarantine list updated
On July 14, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment removed three states from the quarantine list: Alabama, Arkansas and South Carolina. Additionally, KDHE has modified its international travel list from all international travel to just countries with a CDC Level 3 Travel Health Notice and restrictions on entry into the United States, plus Bahrain and French Guiana. Those traveling internationally are subject to CDC re-entry guidance and protocols.

UPDATE: University of Kansas Health System offers daily update on regional health care response
The University of Kansas Health System is also providing daily updates on how COVID-19 is impacting our health care system and community. Chief Medical Officer Steve Stites, MD, and Dana Hawkinson, MD, Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Control, with The University of Kansas Health System and special guests talk about the fight against COVID-19.

Tune in at 8 a.m., Monday through Friday, on Facebook.

Highlights from the July 14 update include:
  • For those who have suffered even a medium case of COVID-19, it can take 6-12 months to recover, and they often also suffer emotional and mental trauma.
  • We still have very limited understanding of the virus.
  • Know who is in your “bubble,” and control your “bubble,” following the CDC guidelines.
  • Operation Warp Speed aims to deliver 300 million doses of a safe, effective vaccine for COVID-19 by January 2021, as part of a broader strategy to accelerate the development, manufacturing and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics (collectively known as countermeasures).
Johnson County enforcement of Governor's executive order requiring masks
If you are seeking enforcement of the Governor's mask order, contact the consumer fraud hotline at the District Attorney's Office, 913-715-3003. DO NOT CALL 911.

The Governor’s Executive Order 20-52, requiring masks, is currently in place until Sept. 15. Pursuant to House Bill 2016, the duration of this executive order would only change if the order is rescinded by the Governor, the order is revoked by concurrent resolution of the Kansas Legislature, or the state of disaster emergency (currently set to terminate on Sept.15) is extended in time by the Kansas Legislature.
Additional resources to stop the spread of COVID-19
MASK USE

WHAT IF I GET SICK

WHO TO CALL WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT COVID-19
Call the Johnson County COVID-19 hotline at 913-715-CV19 (2819), 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, Spanish language available through same number. You can also call the Kansas Department of Health and Environment at 877-427-7317, after business hours. You can email questions to covid-19@ks.gov or use a chat bot at kdheks.gov/coronavirus.

TRAVEL-RELATED QUARANTINE

VISIT OUR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
We have a webpage for the common questions surrounding COVID-19.
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