Kansas is providing fewer updates of its data about COVID-19 now that Gov. Laura Kelly formally declared that the state is moving toward treating COVID-19 as a disease like the flu that spreads regularly and isn’t considered a pandemic. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment updates data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday. 

There were 785,916 cases from 105 counties with 8,939 deaths statewide reported as of 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 25. There were 3,114 new cases and 137 new deaths reported since May 18.

Here are the area cases to date, with any changes since May 18.

• Barton 6,517 (+9)

• Ellsworth 2,019 (+3)

• Pawnee 2,153 (+7)

• Rice 2,621 (+5)

• Rush 811 (+3)

• Russell 1,884 (+1)

• Stafford 1,140 (unchanged)

Weekly cumulative incident rate

The weekly cumulate incidence rate covers the period of May 14-20, noting that the more recent five days are not included as data is expected to be incomplete. Here are the new cases for area counties during this period, and the transmission rate:

• Barton 2, low (7.8 cases per 100,000 people)

• Ellsworth 1, moderate (16.4 cases per 100,000)

• Pawnee 7, high (109.1 cases per 100,000)

• Rice 2, moderate (21.0 cases per 100,000)

• Rush 2, substantial (65.9 cases per 100,000)

• Russell 0, low

• Stafford 1, moderate (24.1 cases per 100,000)

Through the years

By the end of 2020, Kansas had reported 222,433 cases and 2,741 deaths related to COVID-19.

On Dec. 29, 2021, Kansas reported 519,544 cases with 7,001 deaths. Barton County reported 4,732 cases and Pawnee County reported 1,659 cases.

This means that since the first of 2022, Kansas has reported 266,372 cases and 1,938 deaths statewide. Barton County has reported 1,785 cases this year and Pawnee County has reported 494.

County death totals are no longer included in the KDHE database.