Statewide Testing Positivity Rate: 3.15%.
Deaths: We are sad to report 5 new deaths today. We have experienced a total of 417 deaths resulting in a 1.91% mortality rate (about 1 in 52) among known cases. This compares with a 1.46% mortality rate at the state level and a 1.78% 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 25 cases in the hospital. This is 1 more than what we reported yesterday. We have had a total of 1,219 hospitalizations resulting in a 5.59% hospitalization rate (about 1 in 18) among known cases. The state hospitalization rate is 4.92%. The latest data shows that 80% of Lake Cumberland’s ICU beds are filled, and 20.34% of ventilator capacity is being utilized.
Total (Cumulative) Cases: The Lake Cumberland District has experienced a total of 21,819 cases since the onset of the outbreak. This means that 10.45% 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, 0.45% are reinfections.
Released (Not contagious) Cases: We released 31 cases today from isolation. Released cases include: Adair: 3; Casey: 5; Clinton: 1; Green: 1; McCreary: 3; Pulaski: 9; Russell: 2; and, Taylor: 7. In all, we have released 97.5% of our total cases.
Active (Current) Cases: Taking into account deaths and releases, our active cases decreased by 12 more than the new cases we added today. This leaves us with 119 active cases in our district across 9 of our district’s 10 counties. On 12/10/2020 we were at our peak number of active cases, 1,342.
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, 2% can not be tied back to another known case (community-spread cases).
New Cases: We report that our total case count has increased by 24 today: Adair: 3; Casey: 3; McCreary: 1; Pulaski: 9; Taylor: 7; and, Wayne: 1. Our current new case growth rate is: 1.001. This means our total case count is projected to double every 824.48 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 10-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 41-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 75-year-old female who is hospitalized, still symptomatic;
Casey: A 63-year-old male who is released, Resolved;
Casey: A 52-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Casey: A 55-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
McCreary: A 28-year-old male who is hospitalized, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 53-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 62-year-old female who is released, Resolved;
Pulaski: A 43-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 23-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 32-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 50-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 62-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 56-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 37-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Russell: A 10-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Taylor: A 83-year-old female who is hospitalized, still symptomatic;
Taylor: A 60-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Taylor: A 66-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Taylor: A 32-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Taylor: A 7-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Taylor: A 23-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Taylor: A 21-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Wayne: A 75-year-old male who is deceased, Expired;
A close look at the data may appear that Russell’s numbers are off today. This is because we deleted a duplicate entry for Russell.
The deaths we announce today are: a 73-year-old female from Casey who had been released from public health observation as no longer contagious, but later succumbed to lasting complications from the illness; a 75-year-old female from McCreary who had been released from public health observation as no longer contagious, but later succumbed to lasting complications from the illness; a 76-year-old female from Wayne who had been released from public health observation as no longer contagious, but later succumbed to lasting complications from the illness; a 75-year-old male, long-term care resident from Wayne; and a 69-year-old female from Wayne who had been hospitalized.
The CDC and the FDA have approved the resumption of utilizing the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. We will be resuming Johnson and Johnson clinics soon.
We added fewer cases today than for the same time period last week, so our 7-day average incidence rate per 100,000 went down also. Our 7-day average incidence chart is now showing 8 counties in the “yellow-community-spread” category, Adair, Clinton, Cumberland, Green, McCreary, Pulaski, Russell, and Wayne; and 2 counties in the “orange-accelerated” range of community-spread: Casey, and Taylor. We are thankful to not have any “red-critical” counties now. Keep in mind, some of our 7-day-incidence data will be skewed over the next few days as we are reconciling our data against the state data.
Don’t forget that at both the world level and in several states, we are seeing sharp increases in new COVID-19 cases. 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 21,819 cumulative confirmed cases and there have been 441,312 confirmed COVID-19 cases across all 120 Kentucky Counties as of today (this includes 441,166 statewide plus 146 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.
