Kansas has now seen more than 500,000 COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic. As of 9 a.m. Monday, there have been 500,448 cases, resulting in 16,574 hospitalizations and 6,916 statewide deaths. According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, there were 2,659 new cases, 57 new hospitalizations and seven new deaths reported since Friday, Dec. 17. No new area deaths were reported.

Kansas found its first cases with the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus last week. As of 9 a.m. Monday, the variant has been detected in nine cases. It has not been detected in area counties.

Area case totals

Here are the area COVID-19 case totals as of 9 a.m. Monday, and any change since Friday:

• Barton 4,614 (+26)

• Ellsworth 1,576 (+8)

• Pawnee 1,627 (+7)

• Rice 1,749 (+17)

• Rush 589 (+3)

• Russell 1,425 (+5)

• Stafford 836 (+4)

The Great Bend Tribune also reports on COVID-19 hospitalizations in Barton, Pawnee and Stafford counties. There were no new hospital admissions reported to KDHE in these counties as of 9 a.m. Monday.