Laurel County reports 12 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday

COVID-19 cases are increasing at a high rate in Laurel County, which recently recorded its third death from the virus, and it continued to spread at a much slower rate in Whitley, McCreary, Knox and Bell Counties over the past week.

The Laurel County Health Department announced Tuesday afternoon that another 12 cases of the virus had been diagnosed, raising the total number of active cases to 56.

Two previously reported cases are now hospitalized bringing the total to five people hospitalized, and 51 cases isolating at home.

On Monday, Laurel County reported its third death from the virus.

Between March 24 and June 4, there were 22 COVID-19 cases diagnosed in Laurel County out of which 20 people recovered and two died. Since June 9, there have been an additional 59 cases reported there, according to the Laurel County Health Department.

Out of the Laurel County cases, six patients were under the age of 18, 16 patients were ages 18-30, 14 patients were ages 31-40, 10 patients were ages 41-50, 11 patients were ages 51-60, 16 patients were ages 61-70, four patients were age 71-80, and four patients were over age 80.

A total of 3,293 COVID-19 tests have been performed in Laurel County as of June 22.

Knox County

Knox County has reported five additional COVID-19 cases since June 16 with the most recent case being reported Tuesday afternoon.

Between April 6 and May 30, Knox County reported its first 10 COVID-19 cases with all 10 patients having fully recovered by June 15.

Currently there are 16 total cases in Knox County.

Out of the first 12 Knox County cases, one patient was under the age of 18, one patient was ages 18-30, five patients were ages 31-40, two patients were ages 41-50, two patients were ages 51-60, and one patient was age 61-70, according to the Knox County Health Department.

Knox County Health Department Director Rebecca Rains said there are currently, 34 people in quarantine after having been exposed to the coronavirus.

According to Rains, a little over 1,000 tests have been conducted in Knox County.

Rains attributes the increase in positive cases to “Reopening of businesses and activities and decrease in preventive measures,” she said noting “Fewer people can be observed wearing masks and practicing social distancing than before the reopenings started. There is also an increase in testing for things like outpatient procedures, and this has attributed to a few of our cases.”

Whitley County

Since June 16, Whitley County has reported six new COVID-19 cases with the most recent case being reported Monday.

Between April 6 and May 17, Whitley County had 11 COVID-19 cases diagnosed, all of whom have been released from isolation.

Since June 8, Whitley County has had 10 additional cases diagnosed out of which nine cases are still active. Two people are isolating in the hospital and seven are isolating at home.

The majority of Whitley County cases have involved people ages 50 and under.

Out of the 21 Whitley County cases, one patient was under the age of 18, six patients were ages 18-30, four patients were ages 31-40, two patients were ages 41-50, one patient was age 51-60, three patients were ages 61-70, and four patients were age 71-80.

Bell County

Bell County didn’t report its first COVID-19 case until May 16, and now has multiple confirmed cases.

On Saturday, June 20, the Bell County Health Department reported its sixth COVID-19 case, and on Monday, it reported its seventh COVID-19 case.

McCreary County

The Lake Cumberland District Health Department reported late Saturday that McCreary County has had its 14th COVID-19 case reported. On Monday it reported that McCreary County had its 15th COVID-19 case, and on Tuesday it reported its 16^th COVID-19 case. All three patients are self-isolating.

McCreary County reported its 13th COVID-19 case on May 9, but the first 13 cases have all been released from isolation, according to the Lake Cumberland District Health Department.

Statewide numbers

As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, there were 14,141 positive cases of the COVID-19 virus in Kentucky, and 537 deaths from the virus. At least 363,027 people in Kentucky have been tested for COVID-19, and 3,591 people have reported that they have recovered, according to the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s official COVID-19 website.