The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reports that as of Friday, 1,046,211 Kansans – 35.9% of the total population – has received one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 636,068 individuals have received a second dose.

To date, there have been 305,861 COVID-19 cases, resulting in 9,944 hospitalizations and 4,953 statewide deaths. There were 541 new cases, nine new deaths and 33 new hospitalizations reported since Wednesday, April 14.

Here are the state’s totals of positive and probable cases in area counties, and COVID-19 deaths (which have not changed):

• Barton 2,596 - 47

• Ellsworth 1,217 - 25

• Pawnee 1,149 (+1 since Wednesday) - 13

• Rice 1,068 (+1) - 12

• Rush 430 - 14

• Russell 856 (-1) - 28

• Stafford 338 - 9

Variants

Viruses constantly change through mutation. KDHE explains that a variant has one or more mutations that differentiate it from other variants in circulation.

Kansas has 165 variants of concern, defined as variants for which there is evidence of an increase in transmissibility, more severe disease (increased hospitalizations or deaths), and reduced effectiveness of treatments or vaccines. There are 26 counties where variants have been detected. The counties with the most variants are Sedgwick (47), Shawnee (34) and Labette (18). No variants have been found in the area counties or much of western Kansas. One variant was found in Ellis County, seven in Ford County and eight in Finney County.