Barton County Public Information Director Donna Zimmerman reported five new positive COVID-19 cases in the county on Friday, bringing the total to 109 (53 males and 56 females).

The new cases included one male and four females. Three reside in Hoisington and two reside in Great Bend.

Even though the total number of cases has increased, the number of positive active cases has dropped, from 32 on Thursday to 23 on Friday. There have been 1,089 quarantine or isolation orders issued; the number of active orders grew from 165 on Thursday to 241 on Friday.

Three deaths in Barton County have been ruled as COVID-19-related.

Location and number

The residence and number of Barton County positive cases to date:

Claflin - 3

Ellinwood - 13

Great Bend - 69

Hoisington - 12

Olmitz - 1

Rural Barton County - 11

Prevention

The public can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by practicing social distancing and infection control.

• Maintain at least a six-foot social distance from other individuals

• Cancel mass gatherings where individuals will be in close contact with each other

• Wash hands with soap and water for at least twenty seconds as frequently as possible OR use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer

• Cover coughs / sneezes with inner elbow

• Regularly clean high-touch surfaces

• Avoid shaking hands

Statewide

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment updates COVID-19 information on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays by 12:30 p.m.

As of Friday, Kansas had 27,812 positive cases which have resulted in 1,751 hospitalizations and 358 deaths.

Area counties and the number of positive cases: Ness 5, Rush 6, Pawnee 7, Edwards 10, Stafford 3, Reno 229, Rice 26, Ellsworth 18, Russell 11 and Ellis 130.