County has 2nd COVID-19 case

One day after Marion County’s first confirmed case of COVID-19 was announced, county health nurse Diedre Serene reported a second case of COVID-19 had been identified in the county.

The second patient, identified Friday, is a male between the ages of 45 and 54. The health department is identifying and contacting people who were exposed.

“We will be monitoring contacts for fever and respiratory symptoms,” Serene said. “No further information about the patient will be released.”

The first patient is a woman between ages 20 and 44 who has traveled.

The county health department is following established disease investigation protocols, Serene said.

Serene said local health providers collect specimens and send them to Kansas Department of Health and Environment or a private laboratory for testing.

“The availability of testing equipment nationally is at a low level; however, our community currently has kits available,” Serene said. “Testing is done based on criteria.”

Anyone with symptoms should contact his or her health care provider. Symptoms include cough, tightness of chest or trouble breathing, and fever of 100.4 or higher, Serene said.

Anyone with symptoms should phone should phone first instead of simply showing up at his or her office. If a person has difficulty breathing, he or she should call 911, Serene said.

“I would like to encourage people to practice social distancing,” Serene said. “Follow the governor’s stay-at-home order.”