Statewide, the number of new COVID-19 cases and related deaths continues to drop, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. All but 14 Kansas counties had low or moderate new case rates for the week starting March 25 and ending March 31.

However, neighboring Ellsworth and Pawnee counties were among the locations with a “substantial” new case rate, defined as 50-99 cases per 100,000 people. Hodgeman County’s three new cases placed it in the “high” category, based on population, with 167.2 new cases per 100,000.

For the weekly cumulative incidence rate, also known as the weekly new case rate, the most recent five days are not included as data is expected to be incomplete.

The KDHE also releases a weekly COVID-19 overview every Wednesday. As of 9 a.m. Wednesday, April 5, there were 1,006 new cases and 19 new deaths reported statewide since Wednesday, March 29. The week before that saw 1,218 new cases and 23 deaths.

Here are the new case numbers for area counties for the period starting March 25 and ending March 31, followed by the numbers for the previous week:

• Barton 5 - 14

• Ellsworth 5 - 1

• Pawnee 6 - 6

• Rice 1 - 14

• Rush 1 - 0

• Russell 0 - 1

• Stafford 1 - 0