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Whitley, Bell counties report COVID–19 related deaths Tuesday
Posted On 22 Dec 2020
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The Whitley County Health Department announced the county’s 20th COVID–19 related death on Tuesday.
Not details were released concerning the individual.
Whitley County’s most recent death, prior to this, occurred on Dec. 7.
Officials reported 45 new COVID–19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the county’s total to 2,124.
There are currently 311 active COVID–19 cases in the county, of which seven are hospitalized.
With the newest cases, Whitley County’s COVID–19 incidence rate stands at 84.3.
Bell County
Bell County Health Department officials announced the county’s 31st COVID–19 related death on Tuesday.
No details on the individual were provided.
Officials reported the county’s most recent death, prior to today, occurred on Dec. 16.
According to the health department, there were 12 new COVID–19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the county’s total to 1,668.
There are currently 109 active cases, of which six are currently hospitalized.
Fifteen of the active cases involve individuals in long term care.
Bell County’s COVID–19 incidence rate was 64.2 on Tuesday.
Laurel County
The Laurel County Health Department reported 53 additional COVID–19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the county’s total to 3,462.
There are currently 1,496 active cases, 36 of which are hospitalized.
Laurel County’s COVID–19 incidence rate was 70.7 on Tuesday.
Knox County
Knox County Health Department officials announced 36 new COVID–19 cases, bringing the county’s total to 1,761.
Five of the new cases involve children.
There are currently 231 active cases in the county.
Knox County’s COVID–19 incidence rate was 74.3 on Tuesday.
Statewide
Gov. Andy Beshear announced 3,057 new COVID–19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the state’s total to 247,344.
Beshear also reported 28 additional deaths, bringing the COVID–19 death total in Kentucky up to 2,440.
Beshear said while Tuesday’s total was up from the 2,898 cases reported on Dec. 15, the COVID–19 positivity rate is continuing to decrease, reaching 8.48 percent.
The update to the COVID–19 incidence rate map on Tuesday showed 117 of Kentucky’s 120 counties in the red zone.
Lewis County, Crittenden County and Ballard County were each in the orange zone.
McCreary had the highest incidence rate in the state at 214.7.
Pulaski County, with 128.6, and Clay County, at 124.2, were also among the top five in incidence rate.
Beshear asked Kentuckians to continue their efforts to alleviate the spread of COVID–19 by following CDC recommendations concerning social distancing and the wearing of masks.
In addition, he asked that holiday celebrations be kept small, noting that his own would include First Lady Britainy, their children and the family’s dog.
“How we do Christmas and New Years is so critical,” Beshear said.
Beshear noted that it is even more imperative as shipments of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines continue to arrive in Kentucky.
According to the latest information, 202,650 doses of the two vaccines are scheduled to be delivered to Kentucky by Dec. 31.
Beshear noted that while both vaccines require booster shots several weeks after the first does is given, Pfizer and Moderna have each held back those doses for shipment at the appropriate time.
Beshear, along with leaders in the other two branches of Kentucky government were vaccinated on Tuesday.
State Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, House Speaker David Osborne, R-Prospect, and Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice John D. Minton, Jr. each received their initial dose of the Moderna vaccine.
“The arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine signals an optimistic turning point in our fight against the virus,” said Senator Stivers of Manchester, who has served in the Senate since 1997. “This bipartisan group of leaders chose to take the vaccine together to send a message that the vaccine is safe and it is crucial for the health and welfare of the commonwealth. The importance of taking the vaccine cannot be overstated, because you are protecting yourself and your fellow Kentuckians. I encourage everyone who is able to get vaccinated when the opportunity arises.”
