Kentucky's coronavirus infection rate is sixth among the states and its Covid-19 hospitalization rate ranks second

New York Times graphs show top nine states in infection rates, and the national rate. Click to enlarge.

By Al Cross
Kentucky Health News

The waning pandemic continues to be stronger in Kentucky than in all but a few states, according to the latest New York Times rankings based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Kentucky's seven-day infection rate, 48 daily coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents, is sixth in the among the states. Its rate of hospital patients with Covid-19 is second, at 30 per 100,000. West Virginia's rate is 42.

Among U.S. counties and county equivalents, Perry County has the third highest infection rate, and it is first among true counties. The higher rates are in an independent city in Virginia and a census area in Alaska.

Perry's rate is 222 daily cases per 100,000 residents over the last seven days. Seventh on the list is Morgan County, at 188; at 12th and 13th are Pike and Knott, at 137 and 133, respectively. Wayne County is 17th, at 130, and adjoining Scott County, Tenn., is 15th at 132. Several other East Tennessee counties on or near the Kentucky border are in the top 100.

Other Kentucky counties in the top 100 are Breathitt, 21st at 121 cases per 100,000 residents; Letcher, 29th at 112; Floyd, 31st at 110; Bath, 33rd at 109; Adair, 39th at 103; Butler, 45th at 101; McCreary, 46th at 99; Martin, 48th at 97; Taylor, 49th at 95; Lawrence, 50th at 95; Clay and Magoffin, 53rd and 54th, at 93; Montgomery, 65th at 88; Laurel, 70th at 85; Powell, 71st at 84; Whitley and Grayson, 75th and 76th, at 84; Trigg, 80th at 81; Knox, Jackson and Anderson, 82nd, 83rd and 84th, at 79; Harlan, 88th at 79; Carter, 89th at 78; Clark, 95th at 75; and Rowan, 100th, at 74 cases per 100,000 residents.

Hospitalization figures are less certain, because they are based on hospital service areas but ranked by county. Pike, Perry, Letcher, Knott, Laurel, Martin, Harlan, Clay, Jackson, Floyd, Boyd, Whitley, Fayette, Bourbon, Clark Jessamine and Lawrence counties are in the Times' top 100 counties.

The next report from the Kentucky Department for Public Health is due tomorrow afternoon, at and after Gov. Andy Beshear's weekly pandemic press briefing at 4 p.m.