More Kentucky counties report low COVID-19 levels, but 5 remain at medium. See the map

Kentucky added more than 1,900 cases of COVID-19 over the course of the most recent reporting week, according to new figures published Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

At the same time, more Kentucky counties moved to low community levels of COVID-19, and only five counties are at medium, the latest available CDC data show.

Thursday, before the CDC updated its COVID data tracking tool, Gov. Andy Beshear said the state’s case incidence has decreased in recent weeks. While he acknowledged some pandemic reporting has been scaled back, Beshear said the state has recently seen “some of the lowest numbers of people hospitalized, in the ICU or on a ventilator,” due to the coronavirus.

All of this comes as Kentucky prepares for the May 11 expiration of the national and public health emergencies for COVID-19.

The change means more than 200,000 Kentuckians covered under the state’s Medicaid program will either have to re-qualify and apply for continued coverage, buy private insurance or shop for a plan on Kentucky’s healthcare exchange.

Here’s what else you should know about the state of the pandemic in Kentucky:

More KY counties move to low community level

As of the CDC’s update Thursday, Kentucky added 1,961 coronavirus cases over the course of the preceding week. That marks a slight uptick in cases compared to the week before, which saw 1,891 additional cases.

For the second consecutive week, Kentucky is seeing an uptick in virus deaths, with 66 additional deaths compared to the previous week’s 47. To date, Kentucky has lost more than 18,000 lives to COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

Just like the previous week, more Kentucky counties moved out of the medium level of COVID-19 and into low. No counties are reported to be at high, which is where the CDC recommends masking while indoors in public.

As it stands, only five Kentucky counties — Elliott, Menifee, Morgan, Pike and Rowan — are at the medium community level.

The community levels are based on weekly totals of new infections and hospital admissions, along with weekly averages of staffed, COVID-occupied hospital beds.

At medium, the CDC recommends people at greater risk of getting very sick wear a high-quality mask or respirator, like an N95, when indoors in public and limit close contact with others outside their home, among other recommendations.

Fayette County remains at a low COVID-19 community level again Thursday. The CDC reported a weekly case rate of 26.92 per 100,000 people, which is slightly less than the previous week.

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