Kansas reports first coronavirus death

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Kansas has reported its first coronavirus-related death, officials in The Sunflower State announced this week.

A man in his 70s who was living in a long-term care facility in Wyandotte County is the state's first coronavirus death, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced at a Thursday news conference, according to the Topeka Capital-Journal. She issued a state of emergency moments later.

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The man was taken to Providence Hospital in Kansas City, Kan., for a “cardiac-related health problem,” the newspaper reported. The medical staff noticed he had a fever after he arrived. He died Wednesday morning, less than 24 hours after arriving at the hospital. He tested positive for the novel virus, or COVID-19, postmortem, officials said, noting his case was complicated by “underlying health issues.”

The case marks the fifth in the state and the first instance of community transmission in the state, according to the Topeka Capital-Journal.

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“I want to let every Kansan know we will use all resources necessary as we continue to mitigate the spread of this virus,” Kelly said per the outlet. “It is also worth repeating to all Kansans, this is not the time to panic.”

The news comes after Georgia reported its first death on Thursday in a 67-year-old man who also had underlying health issues. Overall, more than 1,600 cases of the novel virus have been reported in the U.S., with some 47 states affected, according to Friday estimates.