Barton County Administrator Phil Hathcock released the county Health Department’s latest COVID-19 statistics at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, showing 75 new cases since the last report at 9 a.m. Thursday.

To date, there have been 1,205 cases in Baron County, resulting in 12 deaths. The number of active cases Friday was 387. The county has issued 5,172 quarantine or isolation orders and 929 of those remain active.

New cases included 32 males and 43 females. Six reside in Claflin, 11 in Ellinwood, 40 in Great Bend, nine in Hoisington and nine in rural Barton County.

The location of positive cases by residence, total cases and number of current active cases follows.

Claflin 41 - 28

Ellinwood 131 - 28

Great Bend 702 - 249

Hoisington 115 - 36

Olmitz 7 - 4

Pawnee Rock 6 - 0

Rural Barton County 203 - 42

Pawnee County

The University of Kansas Health System Pawnee Valley campus in Larned issued an update on community spread on Friday, noting Pawnee County has had 495 positive cases and the number continues to increase each week, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment tracking website.

The Pawnee County Health Department posted on Facebook that the upswing of positive COVID-19 cases in the county has kept the department’s two nurses trying to get everyone notified as quickly as possible if they have possible exposure. Nineteen new cases were identified Friday and some were hospitalized.

Both the Health Department and the hospital urged the public to follow safety precautions.

• Wear masks that cover your nose and mouth when in public

• Consider eye protection, especially when flying

• Maintain a six-foot distance with those outside your immediate household

• Wash and/or sanitize your hands thoroughly and often 

• Avoid gatherings where social distancing is not possible.  

• Stay home if you are ill 

• Do not let down your guard!