WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — State health officials say COVID-19 continues to claim lives in Kansas. So far in May, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) reports that 18 people have died. However, the seven-day rolling average of deaths remains at one.

The KDHE has also linked some previous deaths to COVID-19. Since Friday, the state’s death toll has increased by 82 to 8,802.

In the past five days, 1,910 more Kansans have tested positive for the coronavirus. The state says the seven-day average of coronavirus cases is 354, up from 330 on Friday. Two recent cases tested positive for the BA.2 stealth omicron variant.

The KDHE said 76 people are hospitalized with COVID-19:

• 66 adults, which is 10 more than Friday
• 10 children, which is down from 21 on Friday
• Nine of the adults are in intensive care, compared to five on Friday

More than a thousand Kansans decided to get their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Since Friday:

• 1,650 Kansans got their first dose
• 2,020 got their second dose
• 9,377 got a third dose

Of Kansans eligible to get vaccinated, 67.2% have received at least one dose, while 58.7% have completed a vaccine series.

The KDHE moved its weekly coronavirus updates from Fridays to Wednesdays starting this week.