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USD 428 sees growing number of COVID-19 cases
Statewide, there have been 35,076 new cases reported since Jan. 19
covid-19 Barton

For the second consecutive week, the number of active COVID-19 at Great Bend USD 428 is up. The district posts a weekly summary on its website that showed 80 active positive cases last week and 119 cases as of Monday morning. That’s more than one-third the number of resolved cases for this academic year, 344.

This week started with active cases at every building in the district except the District Education Center and Special Services. Great Bend Middle School had the highest number of active cases with 33, followed by Eisenhower Elementary School with 26.

Here are the active and resolved case numbers by building:

• GBHS 13 - 103

• GBMS 33 - 52

• Eisenhower 26 - 49

• Little Panthers Preschool 1 - 5

• Jefferson 8 - 28

• Lincoln 10 - 32

• Park 11 - 25

• Riley 8 - 30

• District Education Center 0 - 2

• Helping Hands Preschool 6 - 10

• Special Services 0 - 3

• Central Kitchen 2 - 5


Statewide

As of 9 a.m. Friday, there had been 681,405 COVID-19 cases in Kansas to date, resulting in 17,867 hospitalizations and 7,319 deaths. There were 20,806 new cases, 92 new hospitalizations and 29 new deaths reported since Wednesday, Jan. 19.

As of 9 a.m. Monday, the total number of COVID-19 cases was 695,675, resulting in 17,938 hospitalizations and 7,336 deaths statewide. There were 14,270 new cases, 71 new hospitalizations and 17 new deaths reported since Friday, including one death in Barton County.


Area cases

Friday, Jan. 21

Here are the area case totals as of last Friday, with any change since Wednesday, Jan. 19.

• Barton 5,661 (+194) 

• Ellsworth 1,844 (+37)

• Pawnee 1,871 (+41)

• Rice 2,303 (+87)

• Rush 737 (+11)

• Russell 1,718 (+39)

• Stafford 1,032 (+28)


Monday

Here are the area case totals as of 9 a.m. Monday, with any change since Friday.

• Barton 5,836 (+175) 

• Ellsworth 1,873 (+29)

• Pawnee 1,898 (+27)

• Rice 2,374 (+71)

• Rush 744 (+7)

• Russell 1,752 (+34)

• Stafford 1,048 (+16)


Area deaths

There were no new area deaths as of 9 a.m. Friday. There was one new death as of 9 a.m. Monday. Here are the death totals for area counties as of 9 a.m. Monday, with any change:

• Barton 75 (+1)

• Ellsworth 30

• Pawnee 21

• Rice 17 

• Rush 17 

• Russell 34

• Stafford 25


Hospitalizations

The Great Bend Tribune also reports on COVID-19-related hospitalizations in Barton, Pawnee and Stafford counties. 

• As of 9 a.m. Friday, Barton County has reported 164 hospitalizations attributed to COVID-19 over the course of the pandemic, including 31 intensive care unit (ICU) admissions to date, and 109 discharged patients reported to KDHE. These numbers were unchanged from last Wednesday. As of Monday morning, there had been one more admission (165 total to date) and one more discharge reported (110). The median age of COVID-19 patients admitted this month is 87.

• Pawnee County has reported 72 hospital admissions, 15 ICU admissions and 48 discharged patients to date. These numbers were unchanged from last Wednesday. The median age of COVID-19 patients admitted this month is 93.

• Stafford County has reported 36 hospital admissions, 15 ICU admissions and 20 discharged patients to date. These numbers have not changed since Jan. 5.


Hospital beds

Less than one-third of the 1,054 staffed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds statewide were available Monday. According to the KDHE, 773 of these beds were in use, including 232 for patients with COVID-19, leaving 27% of the ICU beds available. Overall, with 112 hospitals reporting, there were 1,169 COVID-19 patients admitted and 2,872 inpatient beds available.

Barton, Pawnee, Rice and Stafford counties are all located in the South  Central Kansas Health Care Coalition (HCC) region. For this region, there are 381 staffed ICU beds and 264 were in use Monday, including 87 with COVID-19 patients, leaving 31% of the ICU beds available. Of 31 hospitals reporting, 354 COVID-19 patients have been admitted and there are 1,092 available inpatient beds.

Other counties in the South Central Kansas HCC are McPherson, Marion, Reno, Harvey, Edwards, Pratt, Kingman, Sedgwick, Butler, Kiowa, Commanche,  Barber, Harper, Sumner and Cowley.