All of Kentucky's Covid-19 metrics rose last week; state has attributed the deaths of more than 16,000 Kentuckians to the virus

Kentucky Health News graph, from state Department for Public Health data

By Melissa Patrick
Kentucky Health News

All of the metrics to measure the coronavirus in Kentucky crept up in the last week, and the state passed the mark of 16,000 Kentuckians dying from the virus since the pandemic came to Kentucky in March 2020. Nationwide, that number is more than 1 million.

The state's weekly report shows the share of Kentuckians testing positive for the virus in the last Monday-to-Sunday reporting period has gone up for nine straight weeks, from a low of 1.97%. This week's rate rose to 12.42% from 11.21%. The figures do not include results from home tests. 

The report showed 9,761 new cases of the virus, an average of 1,394 per day. That's 37% more than the week before, when the rate was 1,020 cases per day. Of the new cases, 12% of them were in people 18 and younger. 

The statewide incidence rate is 23.97 cases per 100,000 residents, up from 21.68 the week before. Elliott County, with 57 cases per 100,000, and Crittenden County, with 48.7, are the only counties with rates more than double the statewide rate; the next 10 are Clark, 46.1; Lewis, 43; Woodford, 42.2; Boyd, 41.6; Greenup, 39.5; Carter, 38.9; Ballard, 36.2; Fayette, 36.1; Jefferson, 35.9; and McCracken, 35.6.

The New York Times ranks Kentucky's infection 31st among the states and Washington, D.C., with a 15% drop in cases in the last 14 days. 

The state reported 59 more Covid-19 deaths last week, an average of 8.4 per day. The previous week had 37 and 5.29 per day, The state's pandemic death toll is now 16,004. 

Kentucky's Covid-19 hospitalization numbers remain low, although they are a bit higher than last Monday's report. Kentucky hospitals reported 299 patients with Covoid-19 Monday, up from 234 a week ago, with 34 in intensive care (up five) and 17 on mechanical ventilation (up eight). 

Statewide, 74% of intensive-care beds are in use. The Northern Kentucky hospital region is using 100% of its beds, but only 4.4% are being used by Covid-19 patients.

This week's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention national Covid-19 risk map places seven Kentucky counties in the red, indicating a high level of coronavirus transmission, and 21 of them in the yellow, indicating a medium level of transmission. The map is updated every Thursday evening.