Coronavirus deaths at Kansas rehabilitation facility grow to 6

photo by: Associated Press

COVID-19 test kits are prepared at the Genetworx clinical lab Wednesday March 25 , 2020, in Glen Allen, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

KANSAS CITY, KAN. — The number dead after a coronavirus outbreak at a Kansas City, Kansas, rehabilitation facility has grown to six with another 50 patients and staff testing positive.

Health officials with the Unified Government of Wyandotte County said Wednesday that seven of the sickened residents of Riverbend Post Acute Rehabilitation are hospitalized.

Wyandotte County’s chief medical officer, Dr. Allen Greiner, blamed the high number of COVID-19 cases on “a confluence of bad circumstances,” including a lag in testing results. KCUR reports that Greiner also said Tuesday that the close interactions required at a rehab facility helped fuel the spread. Greiner said it appears it was caused by a staff member three weeks ago, although he stressed that officials are “not 100%” certain.

State health officials are monitoring the outbreak. Previously that state’s largest outbreak had been at the Life Care Center of Burlington, where 41 residents and one staff member have tested positive. One resident at that facility has died.

Statewide, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 grew by 6.5% Tuesday to 900.

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