Bell County Health Department announces two new COVID related deaths

The Bell County Health Department announced two new COVID-19 related deaths Monday. The county’s death total is now 33 individuals ranging in age from 56 to 97.

Whitley County

The Whitley County Health Department announced 54 additional COVID–19 cases on Monday, bringing the county’s total to 2,197.

There are currently 195 active cases, of which eight are hospitalized.

With the new cases, Whitley County’s COVID–19 incidence rate stands at 54.4.

The Whitley County Health Department posted a public notice on its Facebook page stating that individuals who visited Goodwill at 729 KY-92 in Williamsburg between 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 20, between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 21, or between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 22, may have been exposed to COVID-19.

Laurel County

The Laurel County Health Department announced 35 additional cases of COVID–19 on Monday, bringing the county’s total to 3,682.

There are currently 1,716 active cases, of which 43 are hospitalized.

The health department reported 45 new cases on Dec. 24, 35 new cases on Dec. 26, and 33 new cases on Dec. 27.

With the new cases, Laurel County COVID–19 incidence rate stands at 60.1.

Knox County

The Knox County Kentucky Health Department announced 63 additional cases of COVID-19 on Monday, bringing the county’s total to 1,845.

Thirteen of the new cases involved children, officials stated.

There are currently 247 active cases in Knox County.

With the additional cases, Knox County’s COVID–19 incidence rate stands at 56.9.

Bell County

The Bell County Health Department announced 16 additional COVID–19 cases, bringing the county’s total to 1,739.

There are currently 120 active cases, of which one is hospitalized.

Two new deaths were reported by the Bell County Health Department.

The health department reported 21 new cases on Dec. 24, five new cases on Dec. 25, four new cases on Dec. 26, and nine new cases on Dec. 27. No new deaths in Bell County have been reported since Dec. 22.

With the additional cases, Bell County’s COVID–19 incidence rate stands at 37.9.

Statewide

Gov. Andy Beshear announced 1,455 additional COVID–19 cases in Kentucky on Monday, bringing the state’s total to 258,517.

Beshear reported eight additional deaths, bringing the death toll to 2,563.

Beshear said 1,552 Kentuckians are currently hospitalized, of which 411 are in intensive care.

As of Monday, 101 of Kentucky’s 120 counties have a COVID–19 incidence rate greater than 25, which places them in the red zone.

Fulton, Ballard, Crittenden, Caldwell, Breckinridge, Larue, Hart, Adair, Spencer, Owen, Jessamine, Pendleton, Montgomery, Lewis, Rowan, Morgan, Magoffin, and Knott counties are orange zones. Hickman is in the yellow with a COVID-19 incidence rate at 6.5.

Clay and Clinton counties have the highest incidence rate at 109.1.

Like other politicians and public figures, Secretary of State Michael Adams, Auditor Mike Harmon, Supreme Court Deputy Chief Justice Lisabeth T. Hughes and Justice Samuel T. Wright III received the vaccination against COVID-19 on Monday.

The four individuals received the vaccination in the Capitol Rotunda.

According to a press release from the Kentucky Governor’s Office, the public vaccinations of these individuals is, “to ensure the continuity of state government and demonstrating bipartisan support for the safe, effective vaccine that is crucial to ending the pandemic and saving lives in Kentucky.”

“The purpose is to build confidence in the vaccine. If we truly want to defeat COVID, we need to vaccinate more than 70 percent of Kentucky’s population, and that requires validators who are willing to step up to take the vaccine to show that it’s safe,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “This is also important for continuity of government. These are the top elected officials under the Constitution, and it’s critical that they receive the vaccine to perform their functions.”

“Like Vice President Pence, Gov. Beshear, Senate President Stivers and House Speaker Osborne, I’ve taken the coronavirus vaccine in order to promote its safety and efficacy to my constituents,” said Secretary Adams. “Whether your politics are red or blue, this vaccine is for you, and I hope our example encourages Kentuckians to take the vaccine and defeat this virus for good.”

“I was offered and will gratefully receive the COVID-19 vaccine. It’s important to get people back to work and kids back to school, which is why we need to get the vaccine to everyone as soon as possible,” said Auditor Harmon. “Thank you to the scientists, medical professionals, UPS’s Louisville Worldport and President Trump for Operation Warp Speed.”

“Top federal and state health leaders, including U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield, have encouraged governors and other public officials to publicly receive the vaccination to emphasize the safety of the vaccine and to build public support,” according to a press release from the Kentucky Governor’s Office. “Dr. Stack, commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health, urged state leaders to receive the vaccination for the continuity of state government and to demonstrate to Kentuckians that the vaccine is safe and effective.”