Latest Covid-19 surge seems over in Kentucky, but state still has second highest infection rate among states, well into the red zone

By Melissa Patrick
Kentucky Health News

Kentucky’s pandemic metrics have largely returned to where they were before the latest surge, but the commonwealth continues to have the second highest coronavirus infection rate among the states.

Kentucky reported 2,689 new cases Wednesday, bringing the seven-day rolling average to 3,028, down 354 from Tuesday and 26% from a week ago.

The percentage of Kentuckians testing positive for the virus in the last seven days is 10.80%. The last time it was in this range was in late December, before the surge in Omicron variant cases began.

Kentucky’s seven-day infection rate is 45.04 daily cases per 100,000 residents, just below where it was just before the surge began. Counties with rates more than double that rate are Perry, 198.6; Wolfe, 185.6; Leslie, 146.1; Lee, 135.1; Letcher, 133.2; Menifee, 125.5; Robertson, 115.2; Owsley, 110; Knott, 104.2; Floyd, 102.8; Montgomery, 97.9; Breathitt, 96.1; McCreary, 94.5; Jackson, 93.2; and Bath, 92.6.

Three Kentucky counties are now yellow on the state infection map, representing a “moderate” level of infection: Hickman, 9.8 cases per 100,000; Fulton, 9.6; and Todd, 8.1. Twenty-five counties are orange, for a “substantial” level, 10.1 to 25 cases per 100,000; the rest are in red, considered a high level.

Kentucky’s infection rate is again second highest among the states, trailing only Idaho, according to The New York Times‘ analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. Only three Kentucky counties are in the top 20 counties nationally, down from 10 a few days ago. They are Perry, 251 cases per 100,000; Morgan, 195; and Floyd, 184. (CDC and state figures differ due to methodologies.)

Kentucky hospitals reported 1,323 patients with Covid-19 Wednesday, 22% lower than a week earlier, with 254 in intensive care and 131 on mechanical ventilation.

Eight of the state’s 10 hospital regions are using at least 80% of their intensive-care capacity, with three above 90%. Barren River is the highest, at 96.3%.

The state reported 25 more Covid-19 deaths. The seven-day Covid-9 death average is 29.57; the 14-day average is 33.78. Kentucky’s pandemic death toll is now 13,689.

The Washington Post reports that in the past seven days, Kentucky saw an 11% increase in the number of Covid-19 vaccine doses given over the week before, with 5,260 doses per day administered. However, the daily average four days ago was 6,377.

The state says 2.9 million Kentuckians have received at least one dose of a vaccine, or 64% of the total population; 2.5 million are fully vaccinated, or 56% of the population; and 1 million have been boosted, or nearly 43% of the those who are fully vaccinated.

On Tuesday, the CDC issued new Covid-19 vaccine guidance for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines to expand the recommended time between the initial two vaccine doses to eight weeks for some people 12 and older, especially for males between 12 and 39.

This new recommendation was issued to reduce the risk for severe side effects, like myocarditis, a heart inflammation that has shown up mostly in young men. Most patients who have developed myocarditis after getting a vaccination have fully recovered, according to the CDC.

“mRNA Covid-19 vaccines are safe and effective at the FDA-approved or FDA-authorized intervals, but a longer interval may be considered for some populations,” the CDC said. “While absolute risk remains small, the relative risk for myocarditis is higher for males ages 12-39 years, and this risk might be reduced by extending the interval between the first and second dose.”

The original three-week interval between doses for the Pfizer vaccine and four weeks for the Moderna is still recommended for individuals who are immunocompromised, over 65 or in need of rapid protection against the coronavirus. Covid-19 booster guidance remains the same.

Despite the potential side effects, the CDC maintained that the benefits of the mRNA Covid-19 vaccines outweigh the small risk of myocarditis.