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Barton County reports 25th, 26th COVID-19 cases
covid-19 Barton

Barton County reported its 25th and 26th positive cases of COVID-19 Thursday afternoon. These included one man and one woman, both from the city of Great Bend, County Public Information Officer Donna Zimmerman said. These follow the 24th case that was reported in a Great Bend woman Wednesday.

Of the 26 cases, the number of active cases stands at 12.

There have also been 267 quarantine/isolation orders issued. Of those, 54 are still active. 

The breakdown of gender is as follows:

• Male - 8 

• Female - 18 

The breakdown of residence is as follows:

• Claflin - 3

• Ellinwood - 4

• Great Bend - 17

• Rural Great Bend - 1

• Rural northeast corner of county - 1

The Barton County Health Department continues to identify close contacts of the individuals of each positive case, Zimmerman said. Close contact is defined as being within 6 feet for a prolonged period (10 minutes or longer) or having direct contact with infectious secretions. 

The BCHD will actively monitor the close contacts for 14 days for symptoms.  

“The public can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by practicing social distancing and infection control,” she said.


COVID-19 case rate is mostly low to moderate in Kansas
coronavirus cdc

The rate of new COVID-19 cases statewide this past week was mostly low or moderate, with many counties reporting zero new cases.

Sparsely populated Sheridan and Hamilton counties had a “high” rate, with three new cases reported in each, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Those three cases translated to 118-119 cases per 100,000 people. 

Five additional counties: Decatur, Thomas, Lane, Morris and Cherokee, had a “substantial” new case rate, or 50-99 cases per 100,000 people.

All other counties had a “moderate” rate of 10-49 cases per 100,000 or a “low” rate of fewer than 10 cases per 100,000.

In central Kansas, the new case rates for Barton (10 cases), Rice (2) and Stafford (1) counties were “moderate,” while Ellsworth, Pawnee Rush and Russell counties had zero new cases for a “low” rate.

Those figures, released Wednesday, were for the period starting April 22 and ending April 28. The most recent five days were not included as data is expected to be incomplete.

Statewide, as of 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 3, there were 486 new cases and 13 new deaths reported since Wednesday, April 26.