These 37 KY counties are at ‘high’ COVID community levels. See latest CDC, state data

Jackie Starkey

Thirty-seven Kentucky counties fall into the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “high” COVID-19 community levels category as of Friday. That’s down from 43 the week prior.

In areas at a high COVID community level, the federal health agency recommends masking in indoor, public places.

Latest from the CDC

According to the CDC’s update late July 7, the following counties are a high community level: Ballard, Carlisle, Hickman, Graves, McCracken, Marshall, Livingston, Crittenden, Lyon, Daviess, Barren, Metcalfe, Cumberland, Pulaski, Boyle, Mercer, Woodford, Jessamine, Fayette, Scott, Clark, Powell, Wolfe, Breathitt, Perry, Leslie, Letcher, Pike, Floyd, Martin, Johnson, Lawrence, Boyd, Greenup, Carter, Rowan and Lewis counties.

Another handful of counties are scored at a medium level.

This map of Kentucky from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows COVID-19 community levels by county as of July 8, 2022. Green are low, yellow are medium and orange are high.
This map of Kentucky from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows COVID-19 community levels by county as of July 8, 2022. Green are low, yellow are medium and orange are high.

The CDC calculates the levels weekly based on new cases per 100,000 people, new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 (both seven-day totals) and percent of hospital beds occupied by COVID patients (a seven-day average).

The CDC’s data shows Fayette County’s case rate declined by 14.4% over the last week, though the positivity rate is at 19.38% as of July 8.

Here’s CDC recommendations by COVID-19 community level:

  • At a low community level, the CDC recommends staying up to date on vaccinations and getting tested if you have symptoms.

  • At a medium level, staying up to date on vaccinations, getting tested if you have symptoms and considering extra precautions if you are at high risk of serious illness.

  • At a high level, the public should take all the above measures and consider masking in public.

Per the CDC, those who have symptoms or who come in contact with someone COVID positive should get tested and wear and mask in public, regardless of community level.

Under its community transmission levels metric, which is separate from community levels, the CDC scored all but six Kentucky counties at a high level Thursday night.

The community transmission levels are calculated based on new cases per 100,000 people and percentage of positive nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs).

Kentucky’s state data

As of July 4, the commonwealth was reporting a statewide positivity rate of 15.75%. That figure is based on a seven-day rolling average.

The state, which releases its COVID data once a week, reported 10,191 new cases for the week as of July 4, along with 38 new deaths to bring the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 16,182 individuals.

Additionally, the state reports 405 COVID hospitalizations, with 49 individuals in intensive care units and 23 on ventilators.

“The No. 1 thing you can do if you’re in a red county, to protect yourself, is get vaccinated. And if you’re vaccinated, get boosted. If you have all that, good, consider wearing a mask,” Gov. Andy Beshear said during a weekly press conference Thursday.

He noted that with home-testing widely available, there are a number of unreported COVID-19 tests and cases.

Do you have a question about COVID-19 in Kentucky for our service journalism team? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Know Your Kentucky form or email ask@herald-leader.com.

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