Only four Kansas counties – including one here in central Kansas – had a “high” new case rate of COVID-19 this past week, according to data from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Rice County was in the “high” category with 14 new cases, the equivalent of 146.8 cases per 100,000 people, for the period starting March 18 and ending March 24.

The only other counties in this classification were Clark, Marion and Chautauqua.

Barton and Pawnee counties each had a “substantial” new case rate, defined as 50-99 cases per 100,000 people. The rate was “moderate” in Ellsworth and Russell counties, with 10-49 cases per 100,000. It was “low” in Rush and Stafford counties, where there were no new cases for the period.

Here are the new case numbers for area counties:

• Barton 14

• Ellsworth 1

• Pawnee 6

• Rice 14

• Rush 0

• Russell 1

• Stafford 0

As of 9 a.m. Wednesday, March 29, there were 1,218 new cases and 23 new deaths from COVID-19 reported statewide since Wednesday, March 22.