April 3, 2020 For Immediate Release:

The Atchison County Health Department was notified late this evening that another resident in our county has tested positive for COVID-19. This is the second confirmed case in Atchison County. The individual is in isolation and following the recommendations of health officials. The Atchison County Health Department has begun work on identifying contacts of the individual. Please help us slow the spread of the virus in our community by following the order set in place by the Atchison County Health Department and now the governor of Kansas, which states individuals may leave their residence only to perform an essential activity. It’s up to us, we are the solution to this pandemic. Stay home, wash your hands often, and if you must be out maintain 6ft between yourself and others.

Lori Forge RN Atchison County Health Officer

Atchison Hospital received confirmation this evening of a second novel coronavirus COVID-19 test result for a patient who was recently tested at the Atchison Hospital Clinic. After testing, the patient was instructed to self-isolate at home. The patient has not been hospitalized. A screening process for all patients, visitors, and employees and the use of a separate clinic area for suspected COVID-19 illnesses has been in place since March 20th. Our patient care team has been careful to wear proper personal protective equipment to protect both themselves and other patients. These processes allow our team to handle the testing and treatment of COVID-19 patients in an organized, prepared manner. We continue to coordinate with the Atchison County Health Department and Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and are following guidelines to protect our patients, community, and employees. We will not be releasing any additional case details in order to protect patient privacy. Community members are encouraged to support the statewide ‘stay home’ order issued by Governor Laura Kelly as this is an important part of ongoing efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19. Our hospital and clinic facilities remain open for those with healthcare needs, however individuals with COVID-19 illness concerns should call our COVID-19 hotline at 913-360-6700 before coming. For more information on altered Atchison Hospital & Clinics protocols, please visit our COVID-19 Resource Center at atchisonhospital.org/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19.