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Barton County sees 8 new COVID-19 cases in 10 days
covid-update-4-19-2021

Barton County has seen eight new COVID-19 cases – in three males and five females – over the 10-day period from April 9 to April 19, according to information released Monday by Public Information Officer Donna Zimmerman. All eight cases were active Monday, as were 12 quarantine or isolation orders issued over the same timeframe.

The cases include one Claflin resident, six Great Bend residents and one Hoisington resident.

Over the course of the pandemic, the county has issued 7,020 quarantine/isolation orders and there have been 2,500 positive cases – 1,066 males and 1,434 females.

The Barton County Health Department continues to identify close contacts of the individuals of each positive case. Close contact is defined as being within 6 feet for a prolonged period (10 minutes or longer) or having direct contact with infectious secretions. BCHD will actively monitor the close contacts for 10 days for symptoms. The public can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by practicing social distancing and infection control.

Here are the total cases to date by residence:

• Albert 11

• Claflin 70

• Ellinwood 215

• Great Bend 1,520

• Hoisington 243

• Olmitz 13

• Pawnee Rock 16

• Rural Barton County 412


Vaccinations

The Barton County Health Department has stopped its drive-through COVID-19 vaccinations for now, Health Director Karen Winkelman told the County Commission Monday morning. Vaccinations can be scheduled at the health department or through other sources.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reports that as of Monday, 1,061,293 Kansans – 36.4% of the total population – have received one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 659,298 have received a second dose. Barton County has received 500 “first” doses to distribute this week. Russell County has received 200 first doses; and Ellis, Ellsworth and Rice counties have each received 100. Pawnee, Rush and Stafford counties did not receive first doses of vaccine this week.


COVID-19 in Kansas

As of Monday, Kansas has had 306,290 positive or suspected COVID-19 cases, resulting in 9,961 hospitalizations and 4,955 statewide deaths to date. There were 429 new cases, two new deaths and 17 new hospitalizations reported since Friday.

No new deaths were reported in area counties.

Here are the KDHE’s positive and probable COVID-19 case totals for area counties as of Monday:

• Barton 2,599 (+3 since Friday)

• Ellsworth 1,218 (+1)

• Pawnee 1,149

• Rice 1,067 (-1) 

• Rush 430

• Russell 856

• Stafford 338