Gov. Laura Kelly directed flags to be flown at half-staff from sunup to sundown throughout Kansas on Saturday, Feb. 6, to honor 4,101 Kansans who lost their lives to COVID-19.
“It is with great sadness that I am once again ordering flags to be lowered to half-staff in honor of the Kansans who have lost their lives to COVID-19,” Gov. Kelly said. “My administration remains committed to slowing the spread of COVID-19 and vaccinating Kansans as quickly and efficiently as possible. In the meantime, I know Kansans will do their part to protect their loved ones by following the public health guidance.”
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment updates its COVID-19 statistics every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. On Friday, it was noted that Kansas has recorded the death of a 6-year-old child, the youngest COVID-related death to date reported in Kansas.
KDHE spokesperson Kristi Zears released this statement. “The individual passed away in November. The death certificate was finalized this week, connecting the death to COVID-19, which is the reason the death is appearing today. Due to patient privacy laws, we are unable to provide further details about the individual.”
Friday’s stats
Kansas WebIZ reports 278,445 doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been administered as of noon Friday. This includes first and second doses. To date, 218,168 people have been vaccinated with at least one dose, and 7.5% of Kansans are vaccinated.
As of 9 a.m. Friday, there have been 281,561 COVID-19 cases, resulting in 8,680 hospitalizations and 4,101 deaths statewide. There were 2,647 new cases, 206 new deaths and 102 new hospitalizations reported since Wednesday, Feb. 3.
To date, Barton County has had 83 residents hospitalized and 43 deaths due to COVID-19.
Here are KDHE total cases and deaths as of Friday for area counties:
• Barton 2,527 cases (+9 from Wednesday); 43 deaths (+3)
• Ellsworth 1,180 (+10); 19 (+1)
• Pawnee 1,119 (+3); 12 (+1)
• Rice 1,015 (+7); 6 (+1)
• Rush 423 (+1); 11 (+0)
• Russell 808 (+7); 24 (+2)
• Stafford 324 (+2); 9 (+0)
Barton County report
Barton County released its weekly COVID-19 report at 4:30 p.m. Friday, showing there have been 2,365 positive cases to date but only 38 cases were active. The was an increase of 24 cases since the previous Friday, Jan. 29. The county has issued 6,851 quarantine or isolation orders and 58 of those were active Friday.
There have been cases in 996 males and 1,369 females.
Of those who tested positive in the past week, one resides in Albert, two in Ellinwood, 13 in Great Bend, three in Hoisington and five in rural Barton County.
Here is the location of residence of total cases, followed by the number of current active cases:
• Albert 11 - 1
• Claflin 68 - 0
• Ellinwood 205 - 2
• Great Bend 1,447 - 20
• Hoisington 220 - 5
• Olmitz 12 - 0
• Pawnee Rock 14 - 0
• Rural Barton County 388 - 10
