Laurel, Whitley, Knox and Bell counties report double-digit increases Friday in new COVID-19 cases

Laurel, Whitley, Knox and Bell counties all reported double-digit increases Friday in the number of new COVID-19 cases.

The Laurel County Health Department reported 46 new COVID-19 cases Friday, two of which are hospitalized, and one of which comes from a congregate setting. In addition, the health department noted that two previously reported cases are now hospitalized.

Friday’s new cases include: a 48-year-old male, a 23-year-old male, a 42-year-old female, a 53-year-old female, a 31-year-old female, a 28-year-old male, a 50-year-old male, a 29-year-old male, a 25-year-old female, a 23-year-old male, a seven-year-old male, a 34-year-old male, an 83-year-old female, a 56-year-old female, a 59-year-old male, a 28-year-old female, a 14-year-old female, a 37-year-old female, a 17-year-old female, a 35-year-old female, a 39-year-old female, a 24-year-old male, a 50-year-old female, a 13-year-old male, a 60-year-old female, a 15-year-old male, a 40-year-old female, a 33-year-old female, a 92-year-old, female, a 34-year-old male, a 54-year-old female, a 64-year-old male, a 13-year-old male, a 55-year-old female, a 33-year-old male, a 28-year-old female, a four-year-old male, a 51-year-old male, a 78-year-old male, a 66-year-old female, an eight-year-old male, a 47-year-old male, a 21-year-old female, a 47-year-old female, a 47-year-old male, and a 21-year-old male.

The Laurel County Health Department reported 31 new cases Thursday, 17 new cases Wednesday, 22 new cases Tuesday, 30 new cases Monday, 12 new cases Sunday, and 20 new cases Saturday.

The Laurel County Health Department has reported a total of 1,502 COVID-19 cases, including: 860 recovered cases, and 630 active cases, of which 23 are currently hospitalized. A total of 89 of the active cases occurred within congregate settings.

Laurel County has reported 10 confirmed COVID-19-related deaths with the two most recent confirmed COVID-19 deaths being reported on Oct. 13.

Out of the 1,502 Laurel County cases, 166 patients were under the age of 18, 291 patients were ages 18-30, 229 patients were ages 31-40, 227 patients were ages 41-50, 218 patients were ages 51-60, 183 patients were ages 61-70, 120 patients were ages 71-80, and 68 patients were over age 80.

A total of 22,460 COVID-19 tests had been performed in Laurel County as of Oct. 26.

 

 

Laurel County’s COVID–19 incidence rate is 35, placing it in the red category.

 

 

A county with a COVID-19 rate over 25 cases per 100,000 people is considered critical, which is signified on the state map with the color red. A county with a rate between 10-25 cases per 100,000 people is considered accelerated and is shown as orange on the state map. A county with 1-10 cases per 100,000 people is considered to have community spread and is signified on the state map with the color yellow. A county with less than one case per 100,000 people is considered on track and is signified by the color green on the state map.

The incidence rate for each county may be found online at www.kycovid19.com.

 

 

Whitley County

The Whitley County Health Department reported 18 new COVID-19 cases Friday, 13 new cases Thursday, nine new cases Wednesday, 25 new cases Tuesday, eight new cases Monday, two new cases Sunday, and 12 new cases Saturday.

Whitley County has had a total of 896 COVID-19 cases.

Whitley County has 158 active cases, including five people who are hospitalized, and 727 cases have been released from isolation.

Whitley County has had a total of 11 COVID-19 deaths with the most recent death having been reported on Oct. 20.

Out of the 896 Whitley County cases, 80 patients were under the age of 18, 82 patients were ages 18-20, 156 patients were ages 21-30, 115 patients were ages 31-40, 117 patients were ages 41-50, 114 patients were ages 51-60, 87 patients were ages 61-70, 72 patients were age 71-80, and 73 patients were over age 80.

 

 

Whitley County’s COVID–19 current case incidence rate is 37.4, which places it in the red category.

 

 

Knox County

The Knox County Health Department (KCHD) reported 11 new COVID-19 cases Friday, including three cases involving children, nine new cases Thursday, 11 new cases Wednesday, 25 new cases Tuesday, and 24 new cases Monday.

“We have been notified of a positive case being employed at Tommy’s Root Beer Stand, Barbourville. KCHD is working closely with management to ensure all employees are following proper recommendations. The employee, who tested positive, as well as others in their immediate work area, are self-quarantining,” the Knox County Health Department said in a release Friday.

“If you patronized this business on Monday, October 26, 2020, between the hours of 5:45 p.m. – 9:25 p.m. We encourage the public to monitor for symptoms of COVID-19. If you do become ill and show signs of COVID-19, do become tested.”

Knox County has had a total of 885 COVID-19 cases, including 182 active cases.

Knox County has had a total of 15 COVID-19 deaths with the most recent death occurring on Oct. 26.

 

 

Knox County’s COVID–19 current incidence rate is 45.9 placing it in the red category.

 

 

 

Bell County

The Bell County Health Department reported 10 new COVID-19 cases Friday, 12 new cases Thursday, 28 new cases Wednesday, nine new cases Tuesday, seven new cases Monday, three new cases Sunday, and two new cases Saturday.

Bell County has had a total of 731 COVID-19 cases with six people currently hospitalized, who range in age from 39-85.

Bell County currently has 87 active cases.

Bell County has reported a total of 21 COVID-19 deaths, which have all ranged in age from 62-97. The most recent death was reported on Oct. 15.

 

 

Bell County’s COVID–19 incidence rate is *37.9 placing it in the red category.

 

 

 

McCreary County

The Lake Cumberland District Health Department has reported a total of 285 COVID-19 cases in McCreary County as of Oct. 29.

Currently, there are 31 active McCreary County cases. One case is hospitalized and the remainder are in self-isolation. A total of 253 McCreary County cases are classified as not contagious, and there has been one McCreary County COVID-19 fatality.

 

 

McCreary County’s COVID–19 incidence rate Friday is 9.9 placing it in the yellow category.

 

(Editor’s Note: The Lake Cumberland District Health Department, which McCreary County is a part of, typically doesn’t post updates on its cases until early too late evening. This is why the previous day’s totals are posted in this story.)

Statewide cases

 

 

On Friday, Gov. Andy Beshear reported 1,941 new COVID-19 cases, and 15 new COVID-19 deaths.

Statewide there have been 105,242 positive cases of the COVID-19 virus in Kentucky, and 1,476 total deaths from the virus. A total of 2,023,998 coronavirus tests have been performed in Kentucky, and at least 18,407 people have reported that they have recovered, according to the latest information on the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s official COVID-19 website.