Azria Health in Great Bend was listed as a COVID-19 exposure location when the Kansas Department of Health and Environment released its weekly cluster report on Wednesday. The long-term care facility has had six cases in the last 14 days, with the last date of symptom onset being Oct. 23.

Stafford USD 349 remained on the list for the second week with nine cases, the last recorded on Oct. 22.

KDHE publishes the names of locations that have five or more COVID-19 cases with symptom onset in the last 14 days.

The state reported 54 active clusters in Kansas schools, but only listed 10 locations. Although Riley Elementary School in Great Bend was not on the list, Principal Beth Rein told the board of education Wednesday that the school had just made the list. USD 428 reported Tuesday that the school had four active cases.

Cases associated with a cluster location may include employees, residents, students, customers, contractors and vendors.

Hospitalizations

As of Wednesday, Barton County has had 121 total hospitalizations related to COVID-19, an increase of one since Monday, but the number of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions had not changed. KDHE has received reports of 81 discharged patients, an increase of one since Monday.

The median age of Barton County patients admitted this month is 60 (the median age statewide is 63). Total admissions to date by age group:

- 0-9 years old, 2 (1.7%)

- 18-24 years old, 1 (0.8%)

- 25-34 years old, 6 (5.0%) 

- 35-44 years old, 4 (3.3%)

- 45-54 years old, 16 (13.2%)

- 55-64 years old, 29 (24.0%)

- 65-74 years old, 28 (23.1%)

- 75-84 years old, 15 (12.4%)

- 85 or older, 20 (16.5%)

Pawnee County has had 61 hospitalizations, which is also an increase of one since Monday. The number of ICU admissions related to COVID-19 was unchanged at 14 and the number of discharged patients increased by one to 43.

The median age of Pawnee County patients admitted in October is 50. Admission by age group:

- 25-34 years old, 1 (1.6%) 

- 35-44 years old, 3 (4.9%)

- 45-54 year old, 2 (3.3%) 

- 55-64 years old, 18 (29.5%)

- 65-74 years old, 23 (37.7%)

- 75-84 years old, 12 (19.7%) 

- 85 or older, 2  (3.3%)

Stafford County has had 25 total hospitalizations to date and 10 of those were ICU admissions. Sixteen discharged patients were reported to KDHE and the median age this month is 66. Admission by age group:

- 25-34 years old, 3 (12.0%) 

- 35-44 years old, 2 (8.0%)

- 55-64 years old, 7 (28.0%)

- 65-74 years old, 8 (32.0%)

- 75-84 years old, 3 (12.0%) 

- 85 or older, 2  (8.0%)

COVID in Kansas

As of 9 a.m. Wednesday, Kansas has had 432,730 COVID-19 cases, resulting in 14,770 hospitalizations and 6,345 deaths statewide. There have now been 20 Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) cases associated with COVID-19. There were 2,437 new cases, 105 new hospitalizations and 103 new deaths reported since Monday, Oct. 25, including one in Barton County and one in Ellsworth County.

Here are the total cases for area counties as of 9 a.m. Wednesday, with the change since Monday:

• Barton 3,898 (+26)

• Ellsworth 1,395 (+4)

• Pawnee 1,481 (+13)

• Rice 1,463 (+9)

• Rush 508 (+2)

• Russell 1,138 (+14)

• Stafford 604 (+8)

Here are the death totals for area counties as of 9 a.m. Wednesday, with any change since Monday:

• Barton 58 (+1) 

• Ellsworth 29 (+1)

• Pawnee 15

• Rice 15  

• Rush 15

• Russell 33 

• Stafford 16