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Kentucky COVID numbers up and down in latest Department for Public Health weekly report


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By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today

It was another week of mixed results in the weekly COVID-19 report released on Monday by the Kentucky Department for Public Health, as some of the indicators rose, while others saw declines.

The number of new cases reported to state public health officials for the period ending Nov. 27 was 3,866, a significant decline from the 6,746 reported a week ago. The number of new cases in those 18 and under also declined when compared to last week, dropping from 969 to 496.

The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Kentucky now stands at is now 1,635,010 since the first one was reported on March 6, 2020.

Five counties reported 100 or more new cases during the past week. The top ten counties over were: Jefferson with 881, Fayette 165, Warren 127, Hardin 118, Kenton 115, Boone 84, Daviess 78, Campbell 68, Bullitt 66, and Madison 52.

Public health officials have said the number of positive cases is likely undercounted, since many people who have a positive result from a home test do not report it to state public health officials, if they do not require medical treatment or were asymptomatic. Some numbers may also be low due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

New number of new COVID-related deaths during the past week was 43, down from last week’s 49. There have now been 17,502 deaths in Kentucky since the start of the pandemic.

After three straight weeks of declines, Kentucky’s positivity rate, based on the number of positive results from all COVID testing rose to 7.03%, up from last week’s 6.73%, but is still below the level from two weeks ago.

The overall hospital census saw a rise, compared to a week ago. There are currently 281 Kentuckians hospitalized, compared to last week’s 250. Those in the ICU rose from 35 to 40, while ventilator usage fell from 14 to 9.

The COVID Community Levels map, which is generated from data compiled by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC; rates counties as having a low, medium, or high community level; by whether their color is green, yellow or red.

According to the Nov. 25 report, 102 counties are in the green, with 15 yellow and the other three red. Last week, it was 110 green and the other ten yellow, with no red counties.

For more details on Kentucky’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, community levels and more, go to the state’s website, kycovid19.ky.gov.


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