Rate of new coronavirus cases slows locally

The rate that people are testing positive for COVID-19 locally has slowed down in recent days, but it is still increasing.

Tuesday afternoon, Whitley County reported its eighth confirmed case of COVID-19 involving a non-hospitalized adult.

Whitley County Public Health Director Marcy Rein said that so far there is no known connection between the most recent case, and previous cases.

The seventh case was reported Thursday and also involved a non-hospitalized adult.

Rein said that three Whitley County cases are connected by employment outside of Whitley County, and that four of the eight patients have now been released from isolation.

She said previously that two of the patients shared a household.

According to statistical data released by the health department, five of the patients are male, and three are female. Also, two of the patients were isolated in the hospital and six were isolated at home.

There is one patient in the 18-30 year old category, two patients in the 31-40 year old category, and one patient in the 41-50 year old category.

One patient is 51-60 years old; two patients are 61-70 years old; and one patient is 71-80 years old.

“We ask that people stay home as much as possible to help stop the spread of COVID-19. When you must be away from home, stay at least 6 feet from people you don’t live with,” Rein said.

Whitley County’s first reported COVID-19 case was diagnosed on April 6.

Knox County cases

The Knox County Health Department reported its fifth case Tuesday, and its third and fourth confirmed cases on April 15.

Knox County Health Department officials said that none of the first three reported cases in Knox County were connected.

On April 6, Knox County’s first confirmed case was announced and it involved an employee of the Barbourville Police Department. Five Barbourville Police officers and Mayor David Thompson were all quarantined because of exposure to the virus, according to the Barbourville Police Department.

On April 11, the second confirmed COVID-19 case was reported.

Other cases

The Laurel County Health Department confirmed its 12^th case of COVID-19 on Thursday, and has reported two deaths. Another three patients have fully recovered.

Out of the seven active cases, three are in hospital isolation, and four are in home isolation.

According to the Lake Cumberland Health Department’s website, as of Sunday there have been 10 confirmed COVID-19 cases in McCreary County. Five of the patients are currently in self-isolation, and five have been released from isolation.

According the state of Kentucky’s official COVID-19 website, there have been no reported cases of the coronavirus in Bell County.

As of Tuesday, there were 3,192 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus in Kentucky, and 171 deaths from the virus.

At least 33,328 people have been tested for COVID-19 in Kentucky, according to the state’s official COVID-19 website, which was last updated at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

COVID-19 tips

Most people will develop only mild symptoms with COVID-19 infection. However, some people are at a higher risk for severe illness. These include people older than 60 years and people with health conditions like heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, kidney disease, or the immune-compromised. It takes our whole community to keep everyone healthy.

The health department offers these tips:

• Stay home if you are sick.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

Symptoms of COVID-19 may include fever, cough, or shortness of breath. People who are experiencing symptoms should contact their health care provider.

For more information, visit www.kycovid19.ky.gov or call 1.800.722.5725. You can also like the Whitley County Health Department Facebook page.