There were three additional positive COVID-19 cases reported in Barton County Wednesday morning and two more Thursday morning, bringing the county’s total to 68.
Wednesday’s cases were all males from the city of Great Bend, County Public Information Officer Donna Zimmerman said. The Thursday cases were one male and one female, both from Great Bend.
Of the 68 cases, the number of active cases is now 12. There have been two deaths attributed to the virus.
There have also been 780 quarantine/isolation orders issued. Of those, 142 are still active.
Statewide, as of Wednesday afternoon, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported there were 20,933 cases from 102 counties, with 1,393 hospitalizations, 299 deaths and 218,441 negative tests.
The Barton County breakdown of gender is as follows:
• Male - 30
• Female - 36
The county breakdown of residence is as follows:
• Claflin - 3
• Ellinwood - 8
• Great Bend - 49
• Rural Great Bend - 5
• Rural northeast corner of county - 1
The Barton County Health Department continues to identify close contacts of the individuals of each positive case, 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,” she said.
Other counties in the Golden Belt and the number of cases reported as of 12:30 p.m. Wednesday: Pawnee, 8; Stafford, 2; Rice, 10; Ellsworth, 14; Russell, 2; Ellsworth, 67 and Rush, 4.
