Barton County reported six more positive COVID-19 cases Friday morning, four in the morning and two in the afternoon, bringing the county’s total to 74. 

Three of Friday morning's cases were males and one a female, with cases from Great Bend and rural Great Bend, and the first cases from Hoisington and rural Hoisington.  The afternoon report included two males, one from Ellinwood and one from Olmitz.

Of the 74 cases, the number of active cases is now 18. There have been two deaths attributed to the virus.

There have also been 793 quarantine/isolation orders issued. Of those, 138 are still active. 

Statewide, as of Friday afternoon, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported there were 21,965 cases from 102 counties, with 1,393 hospitalizations, 299 deaths and 227,388 negative tests.

The Barton County breakdown of gender is as follows:

• Male - 36 

• Female - 38 

The county breakdown of residence is as follows:

• Claflin - 3

• Ellinwood - 9

• Great Bend - 52

• Hoisington - 1

• Olmitz - 1

• Rural Great Bend - 6

• Rural Hoisington - 1

• Rural northeast corner of county - 1

The Barton County Health Department continues to identify close contacts of the individuals of each positive case, Public Information Officer Donna 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,” he said.

Elsewhere in Kansas, the total number of confirmed cases for area counties, as of 12:30 p.m. Friday, was: Pawnee 8, Stafford 2, Reno 155, Rice 12, Ellsworth 14, Russell 4, Ellis 80, Rush 5 and Ness 5.