By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
While the number of new cases of COVID-19 rose during the past week, deaths and overall hospitalizations saw a decline, according to the latest report issued Monday evening by the Kentucky Department for Public Health.
State public health officials say there were 6,376 new cases during the last seven days, an increase of more than 1,160 from last week’s 5,214. New cases among those 18 and younger was 845, which was 89 more than the previous week. The spike in new cases is likely, health officials have said, because of Thanksgiving holiday get togethers.
This brings the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Kentucky to 1,653,425 since the first one was reported in March 2020.
Eight counties had more than 100 new cases during the past seven days, compared to seven the previous week. Those counties with over 100 new cases were Jefferson with 875, Fayette (307), Warren (245), Kenton (138), Hardin (133), Boone (120), Daviess (119) and Calloway (103).
The number of positive cases is likely undercounted, since many people who have a positive result from a home test do not report it to state public health officials, if they do not require medical treatment or were asymptomatic.
Kentucky’s positivity rate, based on the number of positive tests other than from unreported home kits, has risen for four straight weeks, and now stands at 9.85%. That is more than a full percentage point above last week’s 8.63%. Two weeks ago, it was 8.14%.
After rising for three straight weeks, the number of COVID-related hospitalizations dropped to 370. Last week it was 388. Patients in Intensive care fell to 42, which was three fewer than last week, while those on a ventilator rose from 19 to 20.
The number of new COVID-19 related deaths was 45 in the latest report, down from 51 last week, but well above the 28 recorded two weeks ago. This brings the pandemic total in Kentucky to 17,625. By comparison, that is approaching the total population of the Northern Kentucky city of Ft. Thomas, which is 17,660.
For more details on Kentucky’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, community levels based on CDC determinations and more, go to the state’s website, https://kycovid19.ky.gov/.