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Barton drops to 101st in county COVID rankings
USD 428 has 14 active cases
coronavirus

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment released the latest COVID-19 statistics on Monday. As of 9 a.m. on Sept. 20, Kansas has had 399,369 cases, resulting in 13,451 hospitalizations and 5,916 statewide deaths. There have been 18 Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) cases associated with COVID-19.

There were 2,462 new cases, 46 new hospitalizations and 51 new deaths reported since Friday, Sept. 17, including three deaths in the Golden Belt.

Here are the totals to date of positive and probable cases for area counties, followed by any change since Friday, Sept. 17, as reported by the KDHE:

• Barton 3,343 (+40)

• Ellsworth 1,320 (+11)

• Pawnee 1,259 (+6)

• Rice 1,319 (+15)

• Rush 484 (+3)

• Russell 995 (+8)

• Stafford 491 (+8)

Barton County has reported 106 COVID-19 related hospitalizations to date, an increase of one since last Friday. Pawnee County’s total remained unchanged at 56.

Barton County, Ellsworth County and Rice County have each reported one additional death related to COVID-19 since Friday. Here are the totals for area counties:

• Barton 53

• Ellsworth 28

• Pawnee 15

• Rice 14

• Rush 15

• Russell 31

• Stafford 13


Great Bend USD 428

Great Bend public schools reported 14 active positive cases on Monday: three at Great Bend High School, two at Great Bend Middle School, three at Eisenhower Elementary, four at Jefferson Elementary, one a Lincoln Elementary and one at the District Education Center.

This semester, 42 other cases have been resolved: 11 at GBHS, five at GBMS, 12 at Eisenhower, one at Little Panthers Preschool, three at Jefferson, seven at Lincoln, one at Park Elementary and two at Riley Elementary.


County rankings

KDHE has ranked the state’s 105 counties on COVID measures to help county commissioners and local leaders stop the spread of COVID-19 in their communities. Barton County slipped to 101st in the rankings Monday. Elk County ranked 105th, with only 34% of its eligible population fully vaccinated.

Graham County led the state in vaccinations at 75%, but was 6th in the overall rankings. No. 1 overall was Brown County, where 62% of the eligible population is vaccinated, the seven-day average for cases is 21 per 100,000 people and the seven-day average for testing is 842 per 100,000 people.

Hodgeman County ranked first in cases (that is, had the fewest cases) with a seven-day average of zero per 100,000.

Stafford County ranked 105th in COVID cases (that is, had the most cases per 100,000 people), with a seven-age average of 179.

Here is the information for area counties:

• Barton - 101st ranking: 84th for vaccination rate (43% of eligible population 12+ years old is fully vaccinated), 97th for average number of COVID cases (80 seven-day average per 100,000 people), and 70th for average number of COVID tests given (389 seven-day average per 100,000 people)

• Ellsworth - 51st ranking: 18th for vaccination rate (54%), 60th for cases (47) and 80th for tests (346)

• Pawnee - 66th ranking: 27th for vaccinations (52%), 63rd for cases (49) and 81st for tests (345)

• Rice - 93rd ranking: 75th for vaccinations (44%), 92nd for cases (68) and 42nd for tests (572)

• Rush - 39th ranking: 36th for vaccination (50%), 8th for cases (18) and 98th for tests (207)

• Russell - 100th ranking: 79th for vaccinations (44%), 73rd for cases (57) and 95th for tests (231)

• Stafford - 82nd ranking: 66th for vaccinations (45%), 105 for cases (179) and 25th for testing (694)