An update from the City-Cowley County Health Department on COVID 19. Beginning next week, the Health Department will begin offering rapid antigen testing in our daily drive-up lane. The antigen test detects proteins from the virus that causes COVID-19 which are present in the respiratory system. Test results are generally available within 15 minutes following sample processing. As of Wednesday, this week seventy-eight (78) cases had been identified. To date we have recorded three hundred-ninety-three (393) new cases in August. There are currently more than one hundred (100)) active cases in the county. We have recorded five hundred-seventy-six (576) new cases of COVID-19 since July 1, 2021. The overall rate of infection in the non-vaccinated population is significantly higher than the vaccinated population as expected.