(KAIR)--Confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 continue to increase in several local area counties, as the State of Kansas reports more than 8,500 cases statewide.

Nemaha County Community Health Services on Wednesday reported three additional cases, bringing the county's total to 8.  One is hospitalized, while one has recovered and is no longer in isolation.

Atchison County on Wednesday saw a two case increase, bringing the total to 17. Atchison County Emergency Management Director Wes Lanter said, in a release, the 16th case is a man in his fifties while the 17th case is a man in his forties. Both are isolating at home. The latest statistics show that 12 of the 17 cases have recovered, meaning they’ve been released from isolation.

Last week, one of the then 11 recovered cases was re-tested after showing a return of virus symptoms, and the results were positive.

The Brown County Health Department on Wednesday confirmed an additional case, bringing the county’s total to 6. One of the cases has recovered and is no longer isolating.

The Jackson County Health Department on Wednesday reported one additional case, bringing the county's total to 33.  Five cases have recovered and are no longer in isolation.

The Doniphan County Health Department on Wednesday reported one additional case, bringing the county's total to 10.  8 of the cases have recovered and are no longer in isolation.

Elsewhere among local Kansas counties, Jefferson County has 21 cases, while  Pottawatomie County has 24.

Leavenworth County, with 1,057 cases, continues to have the highest number among local Kansas counties and the fourth highest number of cases in the state.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment Wednesday reported 8,539 cases in 84 of the state’s 105 counties.

Kansas has incurred 178 virus-related deaths.