COVID–19 cases continue to mount

The Whitley County Health Department announced five new cases of COVID–19 on Monday.

With the six new cases on Saturday and six new cases on Sunday, Whitley County has now had 1,030 total cases.

There are currently 141 active cases, of which, four are hospitalized.

With the additional cases, Whitley County’s COVID–19 incidence rate is at 50, placing it in the red zone.

Knox County

The Knox County Health Department announced 11 new COVID–19 cases, bringing the county’s total to 985.

Two of the new cases are children.

There are currently 188 active cases in Knox County.

With the new cases, Knox County’s COVID–19 incidence rate is at 28.9, placing it in the red zone.

Laurel County

The Laurel County Health Department announced 61 new COVID–19 cases between Saturday and Monday, bringing the county’s total to 1,802.

There are currently 667 active cases, of which, 24 are hospitalized.

The new cases include a:

Saturday

• 26-year-old male
• 37-year-old female
• 40-year-old female
• 9-year-old female
• 45-year-old male
• 16-year-old male
• 59-year-old female
• 30-year-old female
• 12-year-old male
• 54-year-old male
• 52-year-old female
• 24-year-old male
• 55-year-old male
• 29-year-old male
• 61-year-old female
• 29-year-old male
• 52-year-old female
• 46-year-old female

Sunday

• 76-year-old female
• 56-year-old female
• 45-year-old female
• 26-year-old male
• 51-year-old female
• 57-year-old male
• 25-year-old female
• 14-year-old female
• 18-year-old female
• 2-year-old male
• 25-year-old male
• 51-year-old female
• 10-year-old female
• 60-year-old female
• 20-year-old female
• 49-year-old female
• 22-year-old male
• 67-year-old female

Monday

• 30-year-old female
• 68-year-old male
• 38-year-old male
• 77-year-old male
• 67-year-old male
• 51-year-old female
• 58-year-old male
• 77-year-old female, hospital
• 64-year-old female
• 41-year-old male
• 31-year-old male
• 5-year-old female
• 33-year-old male
• 35-year-old female
• 25-year-old male
• 38-year-old female
• 54-year-old male
• 25-year-old male
• 25-year-old female
• 24-year-old female
• 26-year-old female
• 50-year-old female
• 32-year-old female,
• 42-year-old female
• 45-year-old female

With the new cases, Laurel County’s COVID–19 incidence rate is at 51.7, placing it in the red zone.

Bell County

The Bell County Health Department reported 14 new individual COVID–19 cases on Monday, bringing the county’s total to 1,000.

There are currently 83 active cases, of which five are hospitalized.

One new case was reported at the Bell County Forestry Camp, bringing the total there to 91.

In addition, there are two active long-term-care cases.

With the new cases, Bell County’s COVID–19 incidence rate is 88.4, placing it in the red zone.

Statewide

The incidence rate in all 120 counties are now high enough high enough to place each county in either the orange or red zone.

Eighty of the counties are in the red zone.

Statewide, Gov. Andy Beshear announced 1,745 new COVID–19 cases on Monday and 11 additional deaths.

There are currently 1,133 people hospitalized, of which 300 are in intensive care.

“We are clearly at the worst place we have been for this disease,” said Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health.

Beshear emphasized the need to follow the COVID–19 guidelines, including wearing a mask in public, social distancing, and avoiding large gatherings.

“If you’re not wearing a mask, you’re putting yourself at a real risk for contracting COVID,” said Gov. Beshear. “This is happening everywhere, which means we can’t bring in health care workers from other places. If everywhere is surging, we’re going to end up on our own. That means if we get overrun and we don’t have enough staff in hospitals, it’s our friends, our neighbors, maybe even our family members who won’t get the treatment they need.”

More information is available on the state COVID–19 website, https://govstatus.egov.com/kycovid19.