For first time, no new virus cases reported in Ky. long-term care

By Al Cross and Bruce Maples
Kentucky Health News

Almost all measures of the pandemic in Kentucky fell Wednesday, but one was especially remarkable: No new cases of the novel coronavirus were reported among residents of long-term-care facilities, which were the primary hotbeds of infection and death as the virus spread a year ago.

Since the state started issuing a daily report on nursing homes and other long-term-care facilities, there had never been a report showing no new cases. Today's report showed 10 new cases among employees of the facilities, which generally did not require staff to get vaccinated against the virus even though the government gave them and their patients a top priority for immunization.

The difference in resident and staff vaccinations was illustrated at the nursing home that has had an outbreak of a new, potentially more contagious variant of the virus. Health Commissioner Steven Stack said Tuesday that 85% of its residents were vaccinated but only 48% of its employees were. Stack said it appeared than an unvaccinated person brought the virus in.

Stack did not identify the nursing home, beyond saying it was in the eastern part of the state, but the state's Tuesday report showed that the facility with by far the largest number of cases was Life Care Center of Morehead, which had 22 active cases and 45 total cases. No other facility in the eastern third of the state had more than eight active cases, and the one with that number had none among its staff.

Today's report shows the Morehead facility has 21 active cases, 16 among residents and five among employees, and has had two Covid-19 deaths.

The other notable decline in the state's pandemic numbers Wednesday was the percentage of Kentuckians testing positive for the virus in the last seven days. It fell to 3.73%, the lowest since July. 

The state reported 963 new cases of the virus, lowering the seven-day rolling average of new cases by 7, to 782, the lowest since Sept. 29.

In announcing the numbers in a press release, Gov. Andy Beshear said, "While our new cases have decreased dramatically since their peak in the commonwealth, these numbers are still too high. We are close to the finish line but we can’t let up yet. Keep masking up, keep social distancing and get vaccinated when it’s your turn. Let’s see this through to the end of the fight.”

The state's daily report shows 27 more added to the list of Covid-19 deaths, 24 confirmed and three probable, bringing the state's toll to 5,056. The numbers were very near the averages for the last week or two. Beshear has said he expects the state audit of death reports to be issued tomorrow.

Kentucky's rate of new cases reported over the last seven days ranked 15th in the nation, according to The New York Times. The state said its rate is 13.06 per 100,000 residents. Lyon County, site of outbreaks in state prisons, continued to have the nation's highest rate, the Times reported.

The state reported that rate to be 715.2 cases per 100,000 residents. Other counties exceeding the statewide rate were Knox, 44.5; Simpson, 40; Clay, 30.9; Owsley, 29.1; Laurel, 26.5; Butler, 25.5; Hopkins, 25.3; Trimble, 23.6; Bell, 23.6; Carroll, 22.8; Powell, 20.8; Clark, 19.7; Estill, 19.2; LaRue, 18.9; Whitley, 18.5; Taylor, 17.7; Logan, 17.4; Green, 17; Allen, 16.8; McCreary, 16.6; Harlan, 16.5; Edmonson, 16.5; Morgan, 15; Pulaski, 14.5; Henry, 14.2; Nelson, 13.9; Barren, 13.9; Ohio, 13.7; and Carter, 13.3.

In other pandemic news Wednesday:

• Counties with more than 10 new cases were Jefferson, 151; Fayette, 62; Lyon, 53; Hardin, 38; Boone, 29; Oldham, 27; Simpson, 26; Hopkins and Warren, 24; Kenton, 23; Clark, 22; Pulaski, 22; Logan, 20; Henderson, 19; McCracken, 19; Daviess, Laurel and Scott, 15; Bullitt and Knox, 14; Pike, 13; Whitley, 12; Campbell, Estill, Madison and Wayne, 11; and Barren and Christian, 10.
• Kentucky hospitals reported 441 Covid-19 patients, down 18 from Friday; 109 of them were in intensive care, down 1; and 60 of those were on ventilators, up 1. The Lake Cumberland and eastern hospital regions reported more than 80% of ICU beds in use, but few had Covid-19 patients.
• The 27 newly recorded fatalities were a Bell County woman, 88; a Bell County man, 84; a Bullitt County man, 86; a Caldwell County woman, 91; a Calloway County man, 64; a Fayette County woman, 82; a Franklin County woman, 74; a Fulton County woman, 55; a Hardin County man, 38; a Harrison County woman, 66; a Hart County man, 65; a Hickman County man, 89; a Laurel County woman, 79; two Laurel County men, 78 and 79; a Lee County man, 62; three Magoffin County women, 78, 81 and 90; two Magoffin County men, 42 and 75; three Martin County men, 71, 74 and 78; two Shelby County women, 66 and 89; and a Whitley County man, 91.