Statewide Testing Positivity Rate: 2.8%.
Deaths: We are sad to report 2 new deaths today. We have experienced a total of 379 deaths resulting in a 1.79% mortality rate (about 1 in 56) among known cases. This compares with a 1.42% mortality rate at the state level and a 1.82% mortality rate at the national level. Our hearts and prayers go out to all the families and friends who have lost loved ones.
Hospitalizations: We presently have 20 cases in the hospital. This is 1 less than what we reported yesterday. We have had a total of 1,172 hospitalizations resulting in a 5.54% hospitalization rate (about 1 in 18) among known cases. The state hospitalization rate is 4.82%. The latest data shows that 82.22% of Lake Cumberland’s ICU beds are filled, and 26.23% of ventilator capacity is being utilized.
Total (Cumulative) Cases: The Lake Cumberland District has experienced a total of 21,172 cases since the onset of the outbreak. This means that 10.14% of our total population has been a confirmed case. However, we do not know how many additional people may have had COVID-19 and were either asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and never tested. Of our total cases, 0.37% are reinfections.
Released (Not contagious) Cases: We released 60 cases today from isolation. Released cases include: Adair: 8; Casey: 4; Clinton: 14; Green: 1; McCreary: 6; Pulaski: 10; Russell: 6; Taylor: 8; and, Wayne: 3. In all, we have released 97.4% of our total cases.
Active (Current) Cases: Taking into account deaths and releases, our active cases decreased by 16 more than the new cases we added today. This leaves us with 164 active cases in our district across all 10 of our district’s 10 counties. On 12/10/2020 we were at our peak number of active cases, 1,343.
Where Did Cases Visit Prior to Isolation: The most common places cases visited prior to isolation are (in descending order): Family, Businesses, Medical Facilities, and Schools. Of our active cases, 4% can not be tied back to another known case (community-spread cases).
New Cases: We report that our total case count has increased by 46 today: Adair: 3; Casey: 2; Clinton: 14; Cumberland: 1; McCreary: 10; Pulaski: 7; Russell: 1; Taylor: 4; and, Wayne: 4. Our current new case growth rate is: 1.001. This means our total case count is projected to double every 486.59 days. The most new cases we ever added in a single day was on 12/30/2020 when we added 301 cases. Today’s new cases include:
Adair: A 40-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 77-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 69-year-old male who is released, Resolved;
Casey: A 56-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Casey: A 67-year-old female who is hospitalized, still symptomatic;
Clinton: A 75-year-old male who is released, Resolved;
Clinton: A 41-year-old male who is released, Resolved;
Clinton: A 55-year-old female who is released, Resolved;
Clinton: A 10-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Clinton: A 12-year-old male who is released, Resolved;
Clinton: A 74-year-old female who is released, Resolved;
Clinton: A 24-year-old male who is released, Resolved;
Clinton: A 7-year-old female who is released, Resolved;
Clinton: A 12-year-old male who is released, Resolved;
Clinton: A 23-year-old female who is released, Asymptomatic;
Clinton: A 14-year-old male who is released, Resolved;
Clinton: A 5-year-old female who is released, Resolved;
Clinton: A 24-year-old female who is released, Resolved;
Clinton: A 23-year-old female who is released, Resolved;
Cumberland: A 20-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
McCreary: A 29-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
McCreary: A 21-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
McCreary: A 18-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
McCreary: A 24-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
McCreary: A 62-year-old male who is hospitalized, Asymptomatic;
McCreary: A 3-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
McCreary: A 2-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
McCreary: A 43-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
McCreary: A 62-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
McCreary: A 7-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 17-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 56-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 11-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 62-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 49-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 49-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 59-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Russell: A 54-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Taylor: A 55-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Taylor: A 48-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Taylor: A 18-year-old male who is released, Resolved;
Taylor: A 62-year-old male who is deceased, still symptomatic;
Wayne: A 64-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Wayne: A 62-year-old female who is self-isolated, Asymptomatic;
Wayne: A 95-year-old male who is hospitalized, still symptomatic;
Wayne: A 52-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
One of the deaths we announce today is a 64-year-old female from Clinton who had been released from public health observation but later succumbed to lasting complications from the illness. This death occurred in January and was identified as part of the State Department for Public Health’s efforts to audit all death-related COVID-19 data. The other death we report is a 62-year-old male from Taylor who had been hospitalized.
As far as area vaccination efforts go, the charts below will show that the early vaccination efforts were focused mostly on those 65 and older, and for the last week, the uptake had been primarily among those in the 50-64 age range. To achieve the herd immunity we need to defeat this virus, we certainly need more folks 49 and under to take the vaccine.
We added 210 cases this week compared to 182 last week. We had several cases this week that were “opened and closed” on the same day. Some of these, 24, were old cases that were added to our numbers as we reconciled our data. Even if we back those out, we still added slightly more cases than last week (186 vs 182). On the positive, only one case passed away during the last 7 days, and we have 20 hospitalized cases compared to 21 last Friday. Our active cases are 164 today compared to 175 last Friday.
While our 7-day average incidence rate went up this week, it should be noted that the data is skewed due to the high number of same-day “opened and closed” cases. As noted above, however, even backing out the “open and closed” cases, our 7-day average incidence rate would have still gone up slightly. Our 7-day average incidence chart is showing 2 counties in the “yellow-community-spread” category, Cumberland, and Green; 6 counties in the “orange-accelerated” range of community-spread: Adair, Casey, Pulaski, Russell, Taylor, and Wayne; and 2 counties in the “red-critical” range: Clinton, and McCreary. Again, keep in mind, some of these are skewed due to the reason listed above.
Don’t forget that in countries like Brazil, India, France, Italy, and Germany we are seeing sharp increases in new COVID-19 cases. Also, states like New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania are seeing sharp increases. Therefore, please do not assume that the pandemic is completely behind us and take the vaccine as soon as you can. Also, until the vaccine is widely available, and a significant percentage of the population has taken it, let’s all do our part in slowing the spread of COVID-19 by wearing our face coverings, avoiding crowds (especially in confined spaces), social distancing when around others, increasing our hand hygiene, increasing our general sanitation, and by avoiding the touching of our faces.
The Lake Cumberland area has experienced 21,172 cumulative confirmed cases and there have been 424,407 confirmed COVID-19 cases across all 120 Kentucky Counties as of today (this includes 424,055 statewide plus 352 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 with positive cases when ready to be released. Additionally, we are striving diligently to follow-up on business-related complaints regarding noncompliance with the COVID-19 guidance. We are also working with any community partner that requests assistance for prevention or post-exposure planning/response. Finally, we are working with all community partners regarding vaccination planning.
