No KY counties are at high COVID levels but 10 are medium, CDC says. See the map
During his weekly update Thursday covering the state of the coronavirus pandemic in Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear underscored one dismal data point that he said, “I know we can do better than.”
Beshear was talking about the number of Kentuckians who still haven’t received their Omicron booster for the COVID-19 vaccine — even as seasonal flu and RSV cases spike and shutter schools or fill up beds in Kentucky’s children’s hospitals.
Beshear cited data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Current data from the CDC indicates only 8% of Kentuckians 5 and older have gotten the Omicron booster,” Beshear said.
The issue is compounded by the fact that the flu is making a roaring comeback after all but disappearing in the U.S. in 2020 to 2021. Additionally, fewer than half of Kentucky’s children got the flu shot during the 2021-22 flu season.
As Kentuckians enter the holiday season, Beshear said, “Get the (flu) shot. Get the booster, and … if you’re concerned about your health or other conditions, consider wearing a mask at indoor get-togethers right now. It’s not forever.”
Where does Kentucky stand right now with COVID-19?
The latest available data from the CDC, updated Thursday, shows a map of Kentucky almost entirely blanketed in green — indicating low COVID-19 community levels.
The measure, as defined by the CDC, refers to the following:
New COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population (weekly total) calculated using data from Nov. 10-16.
New COVID-19 admissions per 100,000 population (7-day total).
Percent of inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients (7-day average) calculated using data from Nov. 9-15.
The CDC uses the metric to help shape public health guidance, with masking in public, indoor areas only recommended for most people in counties that have high COVID-19 Community Levels.
The CDC reported no Kentucky counties with high COVID-19 Community Levels on Nov. 17.
As of that date, there were only 10 Kentucky counties that fell into the medium category for COVID-19 community levels, all of which were concentrated in eastern Kentucky. Those counties include Greenup, Carter, Boyd, Lawrence, Johnson, Magoffin, Martin, Floyd, Pike and Letcher counties.
The latest available data from the Kentucky Department of Public Health, updated Nov. 14, shows that Kentucky saw 3,570 new cases over the previous seven days.
The report included 47 new deaths, bringing the state’s historical total to 17,410.
Kentucky’s statewide positivity rate as of Nov. 14 stood at 7.29% — though that information only includes PCR tests from the previous seven-day period and not the at-home tests that have become so widespread.
Where does Fayette County stand right now with COVID-19?
Looking at the CDC’s data for Fayette County, there were 171 new cases through Nov. 16 and over the course of the previous weekly reporting period.
The agency puts Fayette County’s positivity rate at 6%, which may seem low, but it does not fully capture the level of local infections because at-home tests are not included.
The CDC reported fewer than 10 deaths during that time, but didn’t specify the total.
The latest report from the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department showed that there were 220 new COVID-19 cases from Nov. 5-11 compared to 254 cases the prior week. There were no new deaths reported during that period.
