Kansas governor recommends staying under Phase 3 guidelines as cases rise

Governor Laura Kelly said Monday she recommends Kansans and their communities continue to follow the guidelines under

due to the number of COVID-19 cases trending upward across the state.

The governor said the metrics her office and the

use to offer guidance on the pandemic are disease spread, deaths and hospitalizations.

As of Monday, Kansas had a total of 12,465 cases of COVID-19 in cases, up 406 from Friday and five more deaths. There have been 1,056 of 8,952 cases that have been hospitalized. In Sedgwick County, the number of confirmed cases increased by 50.

The governor said statewide, a number of cases have been associated with eight active clusters linked to gatherings including funerals, graduations and a Mother's Day event.

"I know we are all tired of this. I know we want to get back to normal and spend time with friends and partake in activities and see our families," said the governor Monday. "However, we must remain vigilant. The virus is still in our communities and it is still spreading. Until a vaccine is widely manufactured and dispensed, our only defense is against COVID-19 is social distancing, avoiding mass gatherings and wearing a mask in public."

On May 27, Gov. Kelly turned over decision-making authority regarding COVID-19 health guidelines to local governments. She said before that date, the number of positive cases was trending downward. The governor said afterward the cases leveled off and began to slightly increase.

The governor introduced the Ad Astra Plan on April 30 as a phased-in approach to re-open the Kansas economy following a month-long stay at home order.

Under Phase 3 of the plan, it is recommended that gathering sizes stay at 45 people or less, businesses follow public health guidelines, and individuals adhere to personal hygiene guidelines, including washing your hands for 20 seconds, wearing a mask in public, social distancing and staying home if you're sick.