Kansas

Health alert: Influenza activity trending up across Kansas, U.S.

Published

5 months ago

December 27, 2025

Health alert: Influenza activity trending up across Kansas, U.S.

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Kansas is reflecting national trends of respiratory virus cases on the rise.

The CDC’s latest influenza surveillance report, for the week ending December 13th, showed three states with very high influenza activity, including Colorado. Kansas was reported as having low activity.

However, Kansas Dept. of Health and Environment data shows even low activity has had an impact. For the 20025-2026 season, through Dec. 22, KDHE shows influenza, pneumonia and COVID, combined, have been the direct or contributing cause in 401 deaths.

KDHE also launched a wastewater monitoring dashboard this season. It reflects data from Shawnee, Reno and Johnson counties for influenza, COVID and RSV. It shows influenza levels moderate and increasing, and COVID levels low but increasing.

The CDC estimates the U.S. has had close to five million influenza cases nationwide this season and nearly 2,000 deaths, including at least three children.

The situation has doctors reminding you to get your annual influenza vaccination if you haven’t already. Many urgent care centers, local pharmacies and your doctor’s offices have it available.

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Related Topics:cdc covid Featured flu Influenza Kansas Department of Health and Environment KDHE Shawnee sick virus wastewater

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Kansas

Kansas man sentenced to 4 years in connection with 13-year-old Linn County boy’s death

Published

40 minutes ago

May 29, 2026

Press Room

Kansas man sentenced to 4 years in connection with 13-year-old Linn County boy’s death

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Bates County Circuit Court judge Friday sentenced a Linn County, Kansas, man in connection with the December 2025 death of Airen Andula, 13.

Damon Leonard, 47, was sentenced to four years in prison for abandonment of a corpse, according to court records.

He pleaded guilty to the charge of abandoning a corpse on May 22.

Andula disappeared from his Pleasanton, Kansas, home on Dec. 21, 2025. A day later, law enforcement found the boy’s body in a ravine in Bates County, Missouri. He had died from multiple dog bite injuries.

Police were led to the boy’s body after a phone call from Leonard.

Court documents said Leonard “admitted that he transported the deceased child from Kansas to Missouri and left the body in the bottom of the creek” before he returned home.

KSHB 41 reporter Fernanda Silva spoke with Andula’s family earlier this week — after the guilty plea and ahead of Friday’s sentencing.

His family shared that the guilty plea brought a small sense of justice, but it didn’t do much to ease the pain of their loss.

READ MORE | Family of Airen Andula speaks out ahead of sentencing

“We’re missing our kid every day of our lives,” the boy’s father Charles Andula told Silva.

Leonard received credit for time served of 158 days in his sentence, per court records.

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Kansas

Gas, diesel fuel prices down over past week across nation, Kansas

Published

13 hours ago

May 29, 2026

Press Room

Gas, diesel fuel prices down over past week across nation, Kansas

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – It may not seem like a lot of relief, but gas and diesel prices have declined over the past week.

Friday morning’s national average for a gallon of unleaded gas was $4.39, according to the Automobile Association of America.

That’s down three cents from $4.42 on Thursday; down 16 cents from a week ago; but was up 17 cents from $4.22 a month ago and up $.23 from $3.16 a year ago.

Gas and diesel fuel prices are down this week in Kansas and across the nation, according to the American Automobile Association.(KALB)

In Kansas, AAA says, unleaded gas on Friday was averaging $3.96 a gallon — down four cents from $4.00 on Thursday; down 13 cents from $3.96 a week ago; but up 26 cents from $3.70 a month ago; and up $1.07 over $2.89 a year ago.

Diesel fuel also was dropping in price. AAA says Friday’s national average for a gallon of diesel was $5.52 a gallon — down three cents from $5.55 on Thursday; down 12 cents from $5.64 a week a go; but up six cents from $5.46 a month ago and up $1.98 from $3.54 a year ago.

Kansas diesel fuel prices, according to AAA, checked in at an average of $4.98 on Friday. That’s five cents below $5.03 on Thursday; down 16 cents from $5.14 a week ago; but up 24 cents over $4.74 a month ago; and up $1.72 from $3.26 a year ago.

In Topeka, GasBuddy.com on Friday morning showed unleaded gas prices ranging between $3.77 and $4.09 in Topeka, with diesel fuel going for between $4.94 and $5.29 a gallon.

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