The state’s COVID-19 case data was updated Wednesday by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. As of 9:30 a.m., there were 3,609 new cases and 22 new deaths reported since Wednesday, Nov. 23.

Most of the Golden Belt had a high new case rate for the period from Nov. 19-25. More recent days are not counted on this index as data is expected to be incomplete. For the weekly incidence rate, “high” is defined as 100 or more new cases per 100,000 people.

Ellsworth County had a “substantial” rate with 50-99 new cases per 100,000 and Rush County had a “moderate” rate as one new case placed it in the range of 10-49 cases per 100,000.

All other area counties had a “high” rate. Here are the new case numbers for area counties, followed by the rate per 100,000 people in those counties:

• Barton 30; 116.4

• Ellsworth 5; 81.9

• Pawnee 13; 202.7

• Rice 14; 146.8

• Rush 1; 32.9

• Russell 7; 102.1

• Stafford 6; 144.4