Pandemic numbers mostly down Saturday, but positive-test rate rises for first time in 13 days; 2-week daily death average also up

Ky. Health News chart; state data; virus case numbers are from unadjusted initial daily reports

By Al Cross
Kentucky Health News

Most metrics of the pandemic continued to decline in Kentucky Saturday, the major exceptions being the two-week average of daily deaths and the one-week average of residents testing positive for the novel coronavirus.

The state reported 2,649 new cases of the virus, lowering the seven-day rolling average of daily new cases to 2,375, almost as low as it was a month ago, as the state was beginning a post-holiday surge in cases.

The Covid-19 deaths caused by that surge continue to mount. The state listed 46 more deaths, 40 confirmed and six probable. That raised the average over the past 14 days to 44.4, a new record.

The percentage of Kentuckians testing positive for the virus increased for the first time in almost two weeks, to 8.82% from 8.75% on Friday. It has declined all but three days since Jan. 10, when it hit a high of 12.45%.

Covid-19 hospitalizations in Kentucky continued a general decline, to 1,415, the smallest number in two and a half months. The number in intensive-care units was 362, seven more than Friday, but the number of ICU patients on ventilators fell by 14, to 185.

ICUs were more than 80% full in three of the state's hospital-readiness regions, but none were over 90%. Lake Cumberland was at 89%, Barren River at 86% and the easternmost region, from Lee to Pike counties, at 81%.

Morgan County continued to be the seven-day hotspot for cases by population, reflecting an outbreak at a state prison there. The county of 14,000 has averaged 131 daily cases per 100,000 residents this week. Others above the statewide rate of 49.48 were Butler, 95.4; Metcalfe, 93.6; McCreary, 86.2; Daviess, 85.7; Hart, 82.6; Clinton, 76.9; Floyd, 75.9; Knox, 75.2; Barren, 73.9; McLean, 72.9, Pike, 72.8; Nelson, 71.7; Cumberland, 71.3; Hancock, 70.4; Harrison, 69.6; Washington, 67.3; Harlan, 67.0; Franklin, 66.7; Lewis, 63.5; Taylor, 62.6; Calloway, 62.3; Whitley, 62.2; Bourbon, 62.1; LaRue, 59.5; Martin, 58.7; Casey, 57.5; Jessamine, 57.3; Kenton, 57.0; Fleming, 56.8; Green, 56.1; Fayette, 55.1; Laurel, 55.0; Marion, 54.9; Campbell, 54.8; Pulaski, 54.3; Monroe, 53.7; Meade, 53.5; Johnson, 53.4; Powell, 53.2; Edmonson, 52.9; Graves, 52.5; Logan, 52.2; Ohio, 50.6; Allen, 50.3; Union, 49.7; and Clay, 49.5.

Counties with 10 or more new cases on the state's daily report were: Jefferson, 357; Fayette, 177; Franklin, 144; Kenton, 125; Boone, 99; Pike, 69; Daviess, 63; Warren, 61; Campbell, 59; Barren, 52; Madison, 42; Laurel, 39; Morgan, 38; Henderson, 37; Pulaski, 36; Knox, 35, Hardin, 34; Nelson and Shelby, 33; Whitley, 31; Christian and Floyd, 30; Grant and McCreary, 28; Scott, 27; Bullitt and Mason, 26; Jessamine, 25; Oldham, 24; Boyd, 23, Hopkins and Montgomery, 23; Graves and McCracken, 22; Harlan and Hart, 21; Garrard, 20; Anderson, Butler, Marshall and Woodford, 19; Greenup, Logan and Meade, 18; Calloway, Harrison and Simpson, 16; Bell, 15; Bourbon, Carter, Clark, Lewis, Lincoln, Livingston and Taylor, 14; Edmonson, Lawrence and Spencer, 13; Adair, Breckinridge and Clay, 12; Fleming, Johnson, Muhlenberg, Ohio and Washington, 11; and Metcalfe and Perry, 10.

As usual for a weekend, the state did not list the day's deaths by age, sex and gender. The 46 deaths raised the state's death toll to 3,714; 1,052 of those were listed in January, making it the state's deadliest month of the pandemic. Deaths are listed days or weeks after occurrence, following case reviews.