photo by: Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health

Oct. 15 COVID-19 update from the health department

Douglas County reported 2,681 cases of COVID-19 as of Thursday, an increase of 21 cases since Wednesday.

In Douglas County, 2,343 out of the 2,681 cases are inactive or beyond the infectious period, according to Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health, meaning 338 cases are active.

The county has averaged about 19 new cases per day over the last 14 days, according to a 14-day moving average graph updated weekdays by the local health department. The current average of 18.79 new cases per day is down from a high of 46 cases per day in early September, when the University of Kansas conducted widespread tests of students and staff, and up from a recent low of nine cases per day in early August. The health department reported that the county’s 14-day average positivity rate is at 5.2%. This percentage has been on a downward trend since early September, when it hit a high of 9.9%.

Three patients at Lawrence’s hospital had COVID-19 on Thursday, one more than Wednesday. The virus has killed 14 county residents.

photo by: Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health

14-day average test positivity rate for Douglas County on Oct. 15.