Worst-ever Sunday for novel coronavirus cases makes for worst week yet as escalation steepens; hospitalizations remain high
Kentucky Health News graph, based on unadjusted daily reports
—–
By Al Cross
Kentucky Health News
On Sunday, Kentucky recorded 1,462 new cases of the novel coronavirus, the most of any Sunday and more than the state recorded in an entire week after the initial surge in cases began to subside five months ago.
The state also counted a record number of covid-19 hospitalizations, 841, one more than the day before, with 231 of those patients in intensive case and 106 of them on ventilators.
The new-case number increased the steepest sustained growth in the seven-day rolling average of daily new cases. It is now 1,348, almost double what it was a month ago and far above the previous record of 1,255, set Saturday. In the last 100 days, since the second major surge of cases in mid-July, it has more than tripled.
The new case numbers also gave the state the most in an official Monday-through-Sunday reporting week, with 9,335. The numbers will be adjusted downward slightly on Monday, once duplicate test results are eliminated.
“Since March 6, Kentuckians have been fighting covid -19, yet we are facing the highest number of cases ever reported on a Sunday, and the highest week of new cases. We must do better,” Gov. Andy Beshear said in a press release. Sunday usually has a lower number of cases due to limited testing and reporting.
Beshear added, “We all know the steps we need to take to stop the spread of this virus – wear a facial covering, wash your hands, stay six feet apart and limit gatherings and travel – let’s all do these simple things to protect each other.”
The release noted that Beshear said after Saturday’s “frightening” new daily record of 1,738 cases that he would talk Monday about new recommendations to counties that are in the “red zone,” those with 25 or more average daily cases per 100,000 residents.
Beshear reported three more deaths from covid-19: an 87-year-old woman from Fayette County; a 74-year-old woman from Grayson County and an 83-year-old man from Spencer County. They brought the state’s death toll to 1,407.
Jefferson County, which has 17% of Kentucky’s population, had 26% of Sunday’s new cases, 379. Tiny Elliott County again had a huge number, 137. The Little Sandy Correctional Complex, a federal prison there, has 55 cases (32 employees and 23 inmates), said Susan Dunlap, chief spokeswoman for the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
Other counties with more than 10 new cases were Kenton, 53; Fayette, 40; Warren, 37; Bullitt, 36; Shelby, 35; Boone, 33; Campbell, 32; Montgomery, 29; McCracken, 28; Barren, 26; Christian, 26; Hardin, 19; Calloway, 18; Scott, 17; Daviess, 16; Hart, 16; Nelson, 16; Jessamine, 15; Marion, 15; Knox, Madison and Mercer, 14 each; Allen and Henderson, 13 each; Boyd and Pike, 12 each; and Muhlenberg, 11.