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Barton has ‘moderate’ rate of new COVID-19 cases
Pawnee, others still show ‘substantial’ rate
Coronavirus breaking news

The new case rate for COVID-19 in area counties has dropped from “high” and “substantial” to “substantial” and “moderate,” according to data released Wednesday by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. For the period of Jan. 7-13, only 13 Kansas counties still showed a “high” weekly new case rate, defined as 100 or more cases per 100,000 people.

A “substantial” weekly new case rate, defined as 50-99 cases per 100,000, was reported in Ellsworth, Pawnee, Rush and Stafford counties.

A “moderate” rate, defined as 10-49 cases per 100,000, was reported in Barton, Rice and Russell counties.

The most recent five days are not included in these reports as data is expected to be incomplete. Here are the new case totals for area counties, followed by the rate of cases per 100,000, for Jan. 7-13:

• Barton 10 - 38.8

• Ellsworth 5 - 81.9

• Pawnee 4 - 62.4

• Rice 2 - 21.0

• Rush 2 - 65.9

• Russell 3 - 43.8

• Stafford 4 - 96.2

Kansas continues to average more than 250 new COVID-19 cases per day, the KDHE reported. As of 9 a.m. Wednesday, there were 1,937 new cases and 69 new related deaths reported statewide since Wednesday, Jan. 11.

Over the course of the pandemic, Kansas has had 9,903 COVID-19 deaths. The median age of those who have died is 77, with deaths ranging in age from infants to people 108 years old. Fifty-five percent were males and 45 percent were females.