By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Stafford County has the highest area COVID-19 rate
covid-19 Barton

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reports that as of 9 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 21, there were 4,216 new COVID-19 cases and seven new related deaths statewide since the previous Wednesday, Dec. 14.

Most of the state had a high weekly cumulative incidence rate, defined as 100 or more new cases per 100,000 people in each county, for the period of Dec. 10-16. The most recent five days are not included as data is expected to be incomplete. Several other counties, including Russell County in central Kansas, had a “substantial” rate of 50-99 new cases per 100,000 people.

Only five Kansas counties were in the low to moderate range. The nearest was Ness County, whose single COVID-19 case placed it in the moderate range of 10-49 cases per 100,000. Hamilton and Cheyenne counties were also in this category, each with one case. Counties with zero new cases were Greeley, Kearny, Lane and Comanche.

Here are the new case numbers for area counties, followed by the number of new cases per 100,000 people in each county:

• Barton 26; 100.9

• Ellsworth 18; 295

• Pawnee 17; 265

• Rice 14; 146.8

• Rush 5; 164.7

• Russell 4; 58.3

• Stafford 14; 336.9