Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir announced earlier this week that the Barton County Detention Center became a COVID-19 cluster over the past weekend. It was no surprise, then, when the jail was listed as a cluster location on the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s weekly report on Wednesday. 

Kenwood Plaza Assisted Living in St. John was also on the list for the second week.

Every Wednesday, KDHE publishes the locations that have five or more COVID-19 cases with symptom onset in the last 14 days. The report shows the Barton County Detention Center has had five cases and the last onset date was last Thursday, Aug. 5. Sheriff Bellendir said the jail and the BCSO administrative office are closed to visitation until further notice. Masks are required in the facility and other preventative measures are being taken. 

At the long-term care facility in St. John, KDHE reports six cases in the last 14 days with the last date of symptom onset being Aug. 5.

To date, Kansas has had 344,937 COVID-19 cases, 12,069 hospitalizations and 5,357 statewide deaths as of 9 a.m. Wednesday. There were 2,741 new cases, 120 new hospitalizations and 35 new deaths reported since Monday, Aug. 9.

The total number of positive and probable cases for area counties as of Wednesday was:

• Barton 2,781 (+18 from Monday)

• Ellsworth 1,238 (+7)

• Pawnee 1,180 (-)

• Rice 1,114 (+1)

• Rush 447 (+2)

• Russell 895 (+3)

• Stafford 379 (+3)

The total number of area deaths related to COVID-19 increased by three in the past week, with one death each in Rush, Russell and Stafford counties. The totals are:

• Barton 51

• Ellsworth 25

• Pawnee 14

• Rice 12

• Rush 15

• Russell 29

• Stafford 11