COVID-19 report for Tuesday, Sept. 15

Statewide Testing Positivity Rate: 3.97%.

Deaths: We are happy to report no new deaths today. We have experienced a total of 67 deaths resulting in a 2.7% mortality rate among known cases. This compares with a 1.9% mortality rate at the state level, and a 3% morality rate at the national level.

Hospitalizations: We presently have 14 cases in the hospital. This is equal to yesterday. The most hospitalizations we have had at any one time was 33. We have had a total of 216 hospitalizations resulting in a 8.7% hospitalization rate among known cases. The state hospitalization rate is 8.5%. The latest state data shows that 67% of ICU beds and 26% of ventilator capacity are being utilized.

Total (Cumulative) Cases: The Lake Cumberland District has experienced a total of 2,477 cases since the onset of the outbreak.

Released (Not contagious) Cases: We released 33 cases today from isolation. Released cases include: Adair: 2; Casey: 2; Clinton: 6; Green: 4; McCreary: 1; Pulaski: 7; Russell: 4; Taylor: 2; and, Wayne: 5. In all, we have released 86% of our total cases.

Active (Current) Cases: We released the same number of cases today as we added new cases. Taking all things into account, this leaves us with 280 active cases in our district across all 10 of our district’s 10 counties.

Where are Cases Tied to: The most common areas to which where we are seeing cases tied are (in descending order): Long-term Care/Residential Facilities, Schools, Businesses, and Medical Facilities.

New Cases: We report that our total case count has increased by 33 today: Adair: 5; Cumberland: 2; Green: 6; McCreary: 1; Pulaski: 7; Russell: 3; Taylor: 8; and, Wayne: 1. Our current new case growth rate is: 1.014. This means our total case count is projected to double every 48.64 days. The new cases include:

Adair: A 69-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
Adair: A 4-year-old male who is self-isolated, asymptomatic
Adair: A 34-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
Adair: A 15-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
Adair: A 65-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
Cumberland: A 35-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
Cumberland: A 26-year-old male who is self-isolated, asymptomatic
Green: A 44-year-old male who is self-isolated, asymptomatic
Green: A 37-year-old female who is self-isolated, asymptomatic
Green: A 56-year-old female who is self-isolated, asymptomatic
Green: A 48-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
Green: A 15-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
Green: A 38-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
McCreary: A 21-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
Pulaski: A 64-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
Pulaski: A 59-year-old female who is released, 9/08/20
Pulaski: A 69-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
Pulaski: A 35-year-old male who is self-isolated, asymptomatic
Pulaski: A 73-year-old female who is self-isolated, asymptomatic
Pulaski: A 20-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
Pulaski: A 31-year-old male who is self-isolated, asymptomatic
Russell: A 19-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
Russell: A 70-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
Russell: A 66-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
Taylor: A 65-year-old female who is hospitalized, still symptomatic
Taylor: A 64-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
Taylor: A 72-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
Taylor: A 26-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
Taylor: A 26-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
Taylor: A 74-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
Taylor: A 59-year-old female who is self-isolated, asymptomatic
Taylor: A 14-year-old female who is self-isolated, asymptomatic
Wayne: A 21-year-old male who is released, 9/08/20

We now have 3 counties, Clinton, Green, and Taylor that are experiencing a critical level of COVID-19 community spread. This is defined as a 7-day average incidence rate of 25 or more new cases per day per 100,000 population. According to the new state guidance, when this level of community spread occurs, it is highly recommended that all in-person K-12 instruction cease immediately along with all extra-curricular school activities including all sports and sports related practices. According to the guidance, these activities can resume when the 7-day incidence rate drops to 10 or less per 100,000. Each local school board has the authority to either follow or reject this guidance; therefore, any related concerns should be directed to the appropriate school board/superintendent and not the local health department.

National data shows that states with more “restrictions” have fewer new cases, and lower mortality and hospitalization rates than states with fewer “restrictions”. As far as “restrictions” go, Kentucky is in the middle of the pack compared to other states around our nation. The most important things that each of us can do to help slow the spread of COVID-19 until there is a vaccine it to wear our face coverings, avoid crowds (especially in confined spaces), social distance when around others, increase our hand hygiene, increase our general sanitation, and avoiding the touching of our faces.

The Lake Cumberland area has experienced 2,477 cumulative confirmed cases and there have been 58,056 confirmed COVID-19 cases across all 120 Kentucky Counties as of today (this includes 58,000 statewide plus 56 recently reported cases in Lake Cumberland not in the Governor’s/Department for Public Health’s daily report). Regardless of the confirmed case count for any Lake Cumberland County, we believe COVID-19 to be widespread. The LCDHD is working tirelessly, including nights and weekends, to identify and contact all those with whom any positive case may have come into close contact, and to follow-up daily with positive cases. Additionally, we are striving diligently to follow-up on business-related complaints regarding noncompliance with the Governor’s Executive Orders.

About Zac Oakes 5501 Articles
Zac Oakes is the News and Sports Director for LakerCountry.com and Laker Country WJRS 104.9 FM.