COVID-19 incidence rates for Laurel, Bell, Knox, Whitley counties rank in the top 20 statewide Wednesday

Laurel, Bell, Knox and Whitley County’s COVID-19 incidence rates were all within the top 20 highest incidence rates in the state Wednesday.

The Whitley County Health Department announced 11 additional COVID–19 cases on Wednesday, bringing the county’s total number of cases to 3,317.

There are currently 77 active cases of which five people are hospitalized. A total of 3,208 people have been released from isolation in Whitley County.

The Whitley County Health Department has reported a total of 32 confirmed COVID-19 fatalities with the five most recent deaths being reported on Feb. 22.

With the new cases, Whitley County’s COVID–19 incidence rate stands at 33.1, which was the 18^th highest rate in the state Wednesday.

Knox County

The Knox County Kentucky Health Department announced Wednesday that 10 new COVID-19 cases had been reported, which include two cases involving children. This brings the county’s total number of cases to 3,097.

There are currently 86 active cases in Knox County.

Knox County has had a total of 15 COVID-19 deaths with the most recent death occurring on Oct. 26.

With the additional cases, Knox County’s COVID–19 incidence rate stands at 38.1, which was the 12^th highest incidence rate in the state Wednesday.

Bell County

The Bell County Health Department reported 10 new individual COVID-19 cases Wednesday, bringing the county’s total number of cases to 2,730.

There are currently 120 active individual cases, of which 13 people are hospitalized, who range in age from 19-84.

The Bell County Health Department has reported 37 total COVID-19 deaths with the three most recent deaths being reported on Jan. 4. The deceased have ranged in age from 56-96.

Bell County’s COVID–19 incidence rate stands at 44.5, which was the fifth highest rate in the state Wednesday.

Laurel County

The Laurel County Health Department had not posed a daily COVID-19 update Wednesday as of 5:30 p.m., and has not posted any kind of COVID-19 update on its website or Facebook page since Friday, Feb. 19. (The Laurel County Health Department doesn’t post updates on weekends.)

Laurel County’s COVID–19 incidence rate stood at 55.0, which was the second highest rate in the state Wednesday, according ot the state’s official COVID-19 website.

The Laurel County Health Department has reported a total of 40 confirmed COVID-19 fatalities with the most recent death being reported on Feb. 19.

Statewide

Gov. Andy Beshear announced 1,306 additional COVID–19 cases in Kentucky on Wednesday, bringing the state’s total to 400,307.

Beshear reported 51 additional deaths, bringing the death toll to 4,527.

Beshear said 883 Kentuckians are currently hospitalized, of which 228 are in intensive care.

As of Wednesday, 43 of Kentucky’s 120 counties have a COVID–19 incidence rate greater than 25, which places them in the red zone.

Caldwell County has the highest incidence rate in the state at 61.6. Hickman County has the lowest incidence rate at 3.3.