Sedgwick County health officials said there were more than 1,100 cases of COVID-19 during the first week of August, and the numbers have been growing at an alarming rate.

Health Department director Adrienne Byrne said most of the cases are the more contagious Delta variant.  She said less than one percent of the cases in May were Delta, but in July that percentage went up to more than 80 percent.

Wichita hospitals were reporting 133 total patients this week, with 51 in the intensive care unit.  This is the highest number since February.   Hospital officials report that 90 to 98 percent of the patients have not been vaccinated.

Byrne is urging people to get the vaccine if they haven’t done so already. She said 46.4 percent of eligible people in Sedgwick County have been vaccinated.   The county continues to provide the vaccine through its main clinic at the former downtown library building at 223 South Main in Wichita.  A number of remote locations have also been scheduled for vaccinations, and local pharmacies also have vaccine supplies.

Byrne said there have been breakthrough cases where fully vaccinated people have caught the virus, but the vaccine is preventing them from serious illness or hospitalization, so the vaccine has been effective.

The county has also seen an increase in testing, and Byrne said the number has tripled this week.  The county is looking at another location for testing, because the location at Sedgwick County park is difficult for social distancing with the number of people who have been turning out.   She said with flu season approaching, it will be important to get tested for any respiratory illness to determine if it is COVID-19 or not.    The county’s positive testing rate this week has gone up to 9 percent.

Byrne is also urging people to wear masks, because they have been very effective in slowing the spread of the virus.  The county is making a strong recommendation for people to wear masks indoors.