photo by: Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health

Douglas County saw 123 new COVID-19 cases from Monday to Wednesday, but the total number of active cases of the virus in the county is falling, according to the latest statistics from Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health.

The county reported 2,323 active cases of COVID-19 on Monday, but that number had fallen to 1,958 on Wednesday. As recently as last week, the number of active cases in Douglas County was more than 3,000.

On Wednesday, the county’s daily case count, based on a 14-day moving average, was at 91.57. Douglas County’s COVID transmission level remains in the “red zone,” with more than 50 new cases per day on average and an active case count exceeding 1,000.

The county did not add any new COVID deaths between Monday and Wednesday; that total sits at 130. Sixteen inpatients at LMH Health had COVID on Wednesday, up from 15 on Monday.

The health department’s latest vaccination figures show that 84,162 — or 73.7% — of eligible Douglas County residents have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine. The number of residents who have received a compete vaccine series is 73,956, or 64.7% of the population. That’s a slight uptick from last week’s percentages for each group.

The health department continues to encourage community members to follow updated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance and also urges them to get vaccinated. The health department administers vaccinations and booster doses at the clinic on the first floor of the Community Health Building, 200 Maine St., for adults and for eligible children.

To register for an appointment, visit ldchealth.org/getmyvaccine. Those interested in an appointment can also call 785-843-0721 for help with registering or with additional questions. Shots are also widely available at various pharmacies and doctor’s offices.

The health department also offers information about where to go to get tested for COVID in Douglas County on its website.

Additionally, KDHE recently opened a new COVID testing site at the former Payless Shoe location at 1540 Wakarusa Drive. Hours of operation are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.