Kentucky had many fewer new cases of Covid-19 last week, but more serious cases, and it still ranks eighth among the states

By Al Cross
Kentucky Health News

For every eight cases of Covid-19 that were reported in Kentucky in the first week of November, only five cases were reported last week. But the weekly rate of new cases remains high, eighth among the states.

The state Department for Public Health reported 3,570 new cases last week, or 510 per day. Those figures were 37.5 percent less than the previous week.

The weekly new-case incidence rate was 10.8 per 100,000 residents, down from 12.98. Counties with rates more than double the statewide rate were Elliott, 28.5; McLean, 27.9; Mercer, 24.4.8; and Trimble, 21.9.

The New York Times, which calculates the rates differently, says the statewide rate is 16 per 100,000 and the top counties are Leslie, 65; Cumberland, 45; Russell, 41; Simpson, 39; McCreary, Green and Knott, 38; Johnson, 36; Metcalfe and Muhlenberg, 35; Powell, 34; and Nelson, 33. It ranks Kentucky eighth among the states.

The share of Kentuckians testing positive for the coronavirus in reported tests also declined, to 7.29% last week from 8.31% the week before, the state said. The figures do not include at-home tests.

The number of Kentucky hospital patients with the virus fell last week, but the number in serious condition rose. As of midnight Sunday, there were 310 Covid-19 patients, down from 332 the previous week; 42 were in intensive care, up from 40; and 19 were on mechanical ventilation, up from 13.

Hospitals are also reporting many cases of the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which is hardest on infants and seniors. Flu cases in the state are more than doubling each week, and if current trends continue next week, new flu cases will outnumber new Covid-19 cases.

The state said it confirmed 47 Covid-19 deaths last week, up from 41 the week before. The state’s pandemic death toll stands at 17,410.