Man In His 70s Dies From COVID-19 In Kansas, Governor Declares State Of Emergency

Kansas saw its first COVID-19 related death Thursday following its announcement of three new cases of the virus in Johnson County.

The victim was a man in his 70s who lived in a long-term care facility in Wyandotte County, said KCTV5, citing a statement from Governor Laura Kelly.

Kelly also added that the man had “underlying health conditions” and that he was receiving treatment from a local hospital.

Post-mortem tests confirmed that he was positive for COVID-19, said the outlet.

Authorities are now investigating what the man was doing in the last two weeks and who he came in contact with.

“Every effort is being made to mitigate the spread of the virus, including quarantining all who are known to have been in contact with this individual,” Kelly said in a briefing, through MSN.

The man's death also prompted the governor to issue a state of emergency, although she urged Kansas residents not to panic and to practice basic hygiene.

“This remains the best defense against COVID-19,” she added.

The victim was the fifth to be reported in Kansas.

Prior to his death, three men, aged 35-65, tested positive for COVID-19. Johnson County Health Department interim director Mary Beverly told KCTV5 that they all attended a conference in Florida in February and didn't show any symptoms of the virus until they returned to Kansas.

The first COVID-19 case in Kansas was a woman in her 50s who also resides in Johnson County, the states most populous county.