The Wichita City Council received an update on the COVID-19 situation in the community and at area hospitals.
Sedgwick County Local Health Officer Dr. Garold Minns told the council the spread of the virus has accelerated since Christmas, from 1,634 cases a week to around 6,700 cases a week currently.
Minns said the Omicron variant is much more contagious than Delta and added the combination of Christmas gatherings, low vaccination rates, and lack of following health recommendations like wearing masks and social distancing have all led to the increase.
Dr. Sam Antonios, Chief Clinical Officer at Ascension Via Christi, says their emergency room doctors are the busiest they have even been during the pandemic. He says current projections point to hitting the peak of infections sometime in mid-late January.
Dr. Lowell Ebersole, Chief Medical Officer at Wesley, said their hospital currently has 119 patients admitted for COVID. Forty of those are in ICU and 18 are on ventilators. He added that 97% of the COVID deaths at their hospital were in unvaccinated people.
Wesley currently has over 100 staff members out due to quarantine measures. Dr. Ebersole says the staff is tired and frustrated but called them professionals.
The three doctors reminded people it is not too late to get a COVID-19 vaccination, to help prevent serious disease or death.
The city council selected a new Vice-Mayor for 2022.
District II Council member Becky Tuttle took the oath of office, administered by Judge Jennifer Jones. Tuttle's term for Vice Mayor is for one year. She replaces Council member Brandon Johnson.
In a special meeting Monday evening, Brandon Johnson was sworn in for a second term on the city council. New council members Michael Hoheisel in District III and Maggie Ballard in District VI also took the oath of office.
