Laurel, Bell counties report additional COVID-19 fatalities Monday

Knox, Laurel, Bell and Whitley County all reported COVID-19 incidence rates Monday that were among the top 14 highest incidence rates in the state.

In addition, two of the health departments reported additional COVID-19 fatalities Monday.

The Knox County Kentucky Health Department announced Monday that 19 new COVID-19 cases had been reported, which includes three cases involving children. This brings the county’s total number of cases to 3,303.

There are currently 92 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 stood at 34.9 Monday, which was tied for the second highest incidence rate in the state, according to the state’s official COVID-19 website.

Laurel County

The Laurel County Health Department, which is now only issuing weekly COVID-19 updates every Monday afternoon, reported four additional COVID-19 deaths since its last update on March 8. This brings the total number of confirmed COVID-19 deaths in Laurel County to 49, according to the Laurel County Health Department’s latest release.

Between Monday, March 8, and Sunday, March 14, there were 168 new cases reported, which now includes 24 hospitalized patients.

There were 32 new cases reported on March 8, 23 new cases on March 9, 18 new cases on March 10, 40 new cases on March 11, 27 new cases on March 12, 11 new cases on March 13, and 17 new cases on March 14.

As of Sunday, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Laurel County was 6,464.

Laurel County’s COVID–19 incidence rate stood at 28.7 Monday, which was the seventh highest COVID-19 incidence rate in the state, according to the state’s official COVID-19 website.

Bell County

The Bell County Health Department reported some good COVID-19 news Monday, and some bad COVID-19 news.

The bad news is that the health department reported its 39^th COVID-19 death, but no details were announced regarding the death. The previous most recent death was reported on Feb. 26.

The good news Monday was that Bell County had moved out of the red zone into the orange zone.

The Bell County Health Department reported five new individual COVID-19 cases Monday, one new individual case Sunday, and seven new individual cases Saturday, bringing the county’s total number of cases to 2,858.

There are currently 57 active individual cases, of which six people are hospitalized.

Bell County’s COVID–19 incidence rate stood at 23.0 Monday, which was the ninth highest incidence rate in the state, according to the state’s official COVID-19 website.

Whitley County

The Whitley County Health Department announced eight additional COVID–19 cases on Monday, bringing the county’s total number of cases to 3,458.

There are currently 53 active cases of which one person is hospitalized. A total of 3,373 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 stood at 20.1 Monday, which was the 14th highest rate in the state, according to the state’s official COVID-19 website

Statewide

Gov. Andy Beshear announced 396 additional COVID–19 cases in Kentucky on Monday, bringing the state’s total to 416,610.

Beshear reported 23 additional deaths, bringing the death toll to 5,005.

Beshear said 464 Kentuckians are currently hospitalized, of which 114 are in intensive care.

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

Lyon County has the highest incidence rate in the state at 783.0. Hickman County has the lowest incidence rate at 0.0.