Are more COVID-19 cases stemming from recent large gatherings?
Two weeks ago, a viral video showed a Memorial Day weekend pool party in the Lake of the Ozarks where social-distancing guidelines were not followed.
The question as we hit the two-week mark since Memorial Day: Did other holiday-weekend gatherings lead to an increased number in COVID-19 infections?
Monday marks the completion of the first incubation cycle (14-day period) since the unofficial start of summer and Memorial Day. Many ignored social-distancing guidelines during the holiday, leading Eyewitness News to reach out to health officials on whether or not this had any impact on numbers coming out of testing centers.
Infections disease specialist Dr. Robert Wittler describes the video many saw of the Lake of the Ozarks Memorial Day weekend pool party as "scary" because it happened during a pandemic.
"I worry more about the people they're going to be in contact with, those vulnerable people who are significantly older and have other health conditions," Dr. Wittler says.
He says it's difficult to know whether parties like what took place at Lake of the Ozarks can account for increases in case numbers.
"Many will be asymptomatic and without thorough contact tracing, it's hard to know for sure," Dr. Wittler says.
shows an upward trend in positive cases just days after Memorial Day weekend, but that also comes with restrictions lifting and more people being out.
Addressing the state Monday, Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Dr. Lee Norman says there have been cases tracing back to Memorial Day events and recent protests in the state following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minn.
Dr. Norman didn't have exact numbers tracing back to the large gatherings and at this point can't say for sure if anyone contracted COVID-19 at the large gatherings. What is known is that there were people at these recent events who tested positive.
When it comes to testing for the virus, Dr. Norman says there are about 86 testing platforms across Kansas. He says the KDHE state lab conducts about 50 percent of the testing with the other half done by commercial labs, other state agency labs, hospitals and health systems.
Monday, statistics from the KDHE shows 10,650 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Kansas across 89 counties This is an increase of 257 from the total reported Friday (June 5). The KDHE also confirms 236 COVID-19 related deaths, an increase of four from Friday's reported total.
