City offices in Great Bend that closed last week because of staff issues related to COVID-19 are open again, Great Bend City Administrator Kendal Francis said.

On Wednesday, July 22, it was announced that the City Hall and Front Door Facility would be closed to walk-in traffic but would continue to accept phone call. 

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reports 7,519 new COVID-19 cases and five new deaths between Wednesday, July 20, and 9 a.m. Wednesday, July 27. All but five of the 105 Kansas counties, including all of the Golden Belt, showed a “high” weekly cumulative incidence rate, meaning 100 or more cases per 100,000 people.

The weekly cumulative rate, also called the weekly new cases rate, is for the period of July 16-22. The most recent five days are not included as data is expected to be incomplete.

The weekly new case rate for area counties was:

• Barton 58

• Ellsworth 19

• Pawnee 12

• Rice 11

• Rush 4

• Russell 8

• Stafford 8

Three Kansas counties, Washington, Lincoln and Rooks, showed a “substantial” new case rate of 50-99 cases per 100,000 people.

Two counties, Ness and Rawlins, each had one new case for a “moderate” rate (10-49 per 100,00). There were no counties with “low” rates (fewer than 10 per 100,000).