Statewide Testing Positivity Rate: 3.26%.
Deaths: We are sad to report 2 new deaths today. We have experienced a total of 412 deaths resulting in a 1.89% mortality rate (about 1 in 53) among known cases. This compares with a 1.45% mortality rate at the state level and a 1.79% 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 24 cases in the hospital. This is equal to what we reported yesterday. We have had a total of 1,215 hospitalizations resulting in a 5.57% hospitalization rate (about 1 in 18) among known cases. The state hospitalization rate is 4.92%. The latest data shows that 93.33% of Lake Cumberland’s ICU beds are filled, and 31.15% of ventilator capacity is being utilized.
Total (Cumulative) Cases: The Lake Cumberland District has experienced a total of 21,795 cases since the onset of the outbreak. This means that 10.43% 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 27 cases today from isolation. Released cases include: Adair: 2; Casey: 4; Clinton: 1; Cumberland: 1; Green: 3; McCreary: 2; Pulaski: 5; Russell: 3; Taylor: 4; and, Wayne: 2. 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 10 more than the new cases we added today. This leaves us with 131 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 19 today: Adair: 4; Casey: 3; McCreary: 1; Pulaski: 4; Russell: 1; Taylor: 5; and, Wayne: 1. Our current new case growth rate is: 1.001. This means our total case count is projected to double every 751.83 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 53-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 35-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 7-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 65-year-old female who is released, Resolved;
Casey: A 29-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Casey: A 12-year-old female who is released, Resolved;
Casey: A 64-year-old female who is released, Asymptomatic;
McCreary: A 25-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 43-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 36-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 61-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 62-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Russell: A 22-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Taylor: A 33-year-old male who is self-isolated, Asymptomatic;
Taylor: A 16-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Taylor: A 51-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Taylor: A 26-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Taylor: A 59-year-old male who is self-isolated, Asymptomatic;
Wayne: A 54-year-old female who is released, Resolved;
The deaths we announce today are: a 53-year-old male from Taylor, and an 82-year-old male from Taylor, both of whom had been released from public health observation as no longer contagious, but later succumbed to lasting complications from their illness.
We added 144 new cases over the last 7 days compared to 152 over the 7 days prior. We had 2 deaths occur this calendar week, plus several historic deaths we reported that were found during the Department for Public Health’s audit of death records. We have 131 active cases today compared to 137 last Friday. We have 24 hospitalized cases today compared to 16 last Friday.
Our 7-day average incidence rate for our district is 9.825 new cases per day per 100,000 citizens, compared to 10.371 last Friday. This means our district-wide 7-day average incidence rate is in the “yellow-community-spread” category. 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 21,795 cumulative confirmed cases and there have been 440,309 confirmed COVID-19 cases across all 120 Kentucky Counties as of today (this includes 440,149 statewide plus 160 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.
