Update: Knox County Health Department reports 10th COVID-19 death Friday

The Knox County Health Department reported seven new COVID-19 cases, and its 10th COVID-19 fatality late Friday evening.

“We have been notified of seven residents testing positive for COVID-19. One of these positives is a child … We are also deeply saddened to report one death today. It is always tragic reporting any death. Our hearts are with the family during this difficult time. All epidemiological tracing and contact information are ongoing with these cases. Any close contacts will be notified by the Knox County Health Department,” Knox County Health Department Director Rebecca Rains said Friday.

The last COVID-19 fatality reported in Knox County was on Aug. 12.

The Knox County Health Department reported three new COVID-19 cases Thursday, five new cases Wednesday, nine new cases Tuesday, and 19 new cases Monday.

Knox County has a total of 315 COVID-19 cases.

Between April 6 and May 30, Knox County reported 10 COVID-19 cases with all 10 patients having fully recovered by June 15. Since June 11, there have been 305 new COVID-19 cases diagnosed in Knox County.

As of Aug. 13, 84 cases were still active and 172 had recovered.

Out of the first 265 Knox County cases, 28 patients were under the age of 18, 51 patients were ages 18-30, 33 patients were ages 31-40, 31 patients were ages 41-50, 37 patients were ages 51-60, 22 patients were ages 61-70, 29 patients were ages 71-80, and 34 patients were over age 80.

As of Aug. 14, a total of 3,540 COVID-19 tests have been performed in Knox County.

Laurel County

The Laurel County Health Department reported four new COVID-19 cases Friday, none of which are hospitalized.

Friday’s cases include: a 76-year-old male, a 42-year-old female, a 24-year-old female, and a 47-year-old male.

The Laurel County Health Department also reported Friday that one previously reported case is now hospitalized.

The Laurel County Health Department reported six new cases Thursday, eight new cases Wednesday, nine new cases Tuesday, four new cases Monday, one new case Sunday, and one new case Saturday.

The Laurel County Health Department has reported a total of 495 cases, including: 359 recovered cases, and 131 active cases, of which nine are currently hospitalized.

Laurel County has had five COVID-19 fatalities with the most recent death happening on Aug. 6.

Between March 24 and June 4, there were 22 COVID-19 cases diagnosed in Laurel County. Since June 9, there have been an additional 473 cases reported there, according to the Laurel County Health Department.

Out of the 495 Laurel County cases, 55 patients were under the age of 18, 118 patients were ages 18-30, 83 patients were ages 31-40, 67 patients were ages 41-50, 74 patients were ages 51-60, 64 patients were ages 61-70, 24 patients were ages 71-80 and 10 patients were over age 80.

A total of 11,059 COVID-19 tests had been performed in Laurel County as of Aug. 17.

Whitley County

The Whitley County Health Department reported two new COVID-19 cases Friday, two new cases Thursday, no new cases either Tuesday or Wednesday, and four new cases Monday.

Whitley County has had a total of 174 COVID-19 cases.

Between April 6 and May 17, Whitley County had 11 COVID-19 cases diagnosed, all of whom have been released from isolation. Since June 8, Whitley County has had 163 additional cases diagnosed.

Whitley County has a total of 13 active COVID-19 cases, including three people isolated in the hospital, and 10 isolated at home. A total of 159 cases have been released from isolation.

Out of the 174 Whitley County cases, 22 patients were under the age of 18, 10 patients were ages 18-20, 34 patients were ages 21-30, 35 patients were ages 31-40, 23 patients were ages 41-50, 19 patients were ages 51-60, 13 patients were ages 61-70, 14 patients were age 71-80, and four patients were over age 80.

Whitley County has reported a total of two COVID-19 deaths with the first happening on July 21, and the second happening on Aug. 20.

Bell County

The Bell County Health Department reported two new COVID-19 cases Friday, nine new cases Thursday, five new cases Wednesday, three new cases Tuesday, three new cases Monday, no new cases Sunday, and 10 new cases Saturday.

Bell County now has 75 active cases, including five who are hospitalized: a 66-year-old male, an 83-year-old male, a 62-year-old male, a 75-year-old male, and a 94-year-old female.

Bell County has had a total of 362 COVID-19 cases, including 287 people, who have recovered.

The Bell County Health Department reported its seventh and eighth COVID-19 fatalities on Aug. 20. All of Bell County’s COVID-19 fatalities have ranged in age from 68 to 85.

McCreary County

After four consecutive days of no new COVID-19 cases in McCreary County, the Lake Cumberland District Health Department reported one new COVID-19 case in McCreary Friday, which involves a 60-year-old female, who is self-isolated but still symptomatic.

The Lake Cumberland District Health Department reported one new case in McCreary County Sunday, and one new case in McCreary County Saturday.

The Lake Cumberland District Health Department also reported Friday that four cases had been released from isolation in McCreary County.

McCreary County has had a total of 56 COVID-19 cases, including six active cases, who are all self-isolated. 50 McCreary County cases are classified as not contagious.

So far, McCreary County has had no COVID-19 deaths.

Statewide cases

On Friday, Gov. Andy Beshear reported 785 new COVID-19 cases, including 17 children ages five and under, and eight new deaths.

“We have stopped the exponential growth and escalation of this virus, but we still have to fight every day, wear masks and stay six feet apart so we can get this thing on the decline and open more things safely,” said Beshear. “Ninety-seven of today’s cases are kids under 18.”

Statewide there have been 42,265 total positive cases of the COVID-19 virus in Kentucky, and 864 total deaths from the virus. A total of 803,198 people in Kentucky have been tested for COVID-19, and at least 9,448 people have reported that they have recovered, according to the latest information on the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s official COVID-19 website.