In response to the latest report of COVID-19 cases in Barton County, County Administrator Phil Hathcock released the following statement Thursday afternoon.

Barton County continues to experience rising numbers of COVID-19 cases. Over the course of the past two days, the Health Department has been notified of in excess of 100 individuals testing positive for COVID-19. Due to this large increase, and the 4 to 5 hours required to trace each case, the Health Department does not have the resources to contact trace every case on the day it is received. Barton County has added two full-time nurses and two contract part-time nurses to assist during this pandemic, as well as volunteers from other county departments.

Therefore, if you were tested at the Health Department, Barton County will notify you of your test results. If you were tested at another facility, that facility should notify you of your test results. Regardless of who contacts you, any individual that has received a positive COVID-19 test result should remain in isolation for 10 days or 72 hours without a fever, whichever is longer, after the onset of symptoms. It is recommended that close contacts of the positive case, including affected household members, quarantine immediately.

Isolation and recommended quarantine orders will continue to be generated and delivered as timely as possible.

If you have any questions regarding an order please email COVID-19@bartoncounty.org and someone will respond as soon as possible, or visit the KDHE COVID-19 website for the latest guidance. Please do not call the health department regarding orders as the phone call overload makes it impossible to respond in a timely manner.

If you have a medical emergency, please call 911.

Social distancing and infection control measures continue to be encouraged.