Data released by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Friday shows testing for COVID-19 in northwestern Kansas counties is extremely limited, even as the outbreak spreads and private labs begin testing for the coronavirus.

In Ellis County, 14 tests had been reported, but all returned negative for the virus. That amount of testing represents only 0.49 per 1,000 people.

Rooks County had the highest rate of testing, with 20 tests reported, a rate of 4.07 per 1,000 people.

<a href="https://eaglepost.netlify.com/dashboard/hays/posts/5e87d921eb7f17053601aa25">Osborne County, where a case of the virus was reported Thursday, has only submitted one test.</a>

Rawlins, Lane and Logan counties similarly only reported one test and many other counties in the region had tested three people or less. <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5e7d3edaafae0f4d5f5e4386">That includes Gove County, where the first case of coronavirus was confirmed in northwest Kansas on March 27.</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5e85e7fdafae0f4d5f5ed20c">Lee Norman, Kansas secretary of health and environment, said in coming weeks up to 64,000 test kits will be available in the state, which will allow population studies to occur, but until that time social distancing will be key to stopping the spread of the virus.</a>

By JAMES BELL Hays PostData released by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Friday shows testing for COVID-19 in northwestern Kansas counties is extremely limited, even as the outbreak spreads and private labs begin testing for the coronavirus.In Ellis County, 14 tests had been reported, but all returned negative for the virus. That amount of testing represents only 0.49 per 1,000 people.Rooks County had the highest rate of testing, with 20 tests reported, a rate of 4.07 per 1,000 people.<a href="https://eaglepost.netlify.com/dashboard/hays/posts/5e87d921eb7f17053601aa25">Osborne County, where a case of the virus was reported Thursday, has only submitted one test.</a>Rawlins, Lane and Logan counties similarly only reported one test and many other counties in the region had tested three people or less. <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5e7d3edaafae0f4d5f5e4386">That includes Gove County, where the first case of coronavirus was confirmed in northwest Kansas on March 27.</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5e85e7fdafae0f4d5f5ed20c">Lee Norman, Kansas secretary of health and environment, said in coming weeks up to 64,000 test kits will be available in the state, which will allow population studies to occur, but until that time social distancing will be key to stopping the spread of the virus.</a>

Coronavirus testing remains sparse in NW Kansas