In the last two weeks, the seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases in Christian County has increased 282%. Prior to this month, which has seen a sharp increase in cases of the virus, the county hasn’t seen such such an upsurge since July 20, 2020, when there was an increase of 350% over the previous two weeks.
A report Friday from the Christian County Health Department confirmed 65 new cases of the virus — up from 37 last week — and the first COVID-19 death in more than two months.
“Increases across the state are often within communities with lower vaccination rates,” Christian County Health Department spokeswoman Amanda Sweeney Brunt said in a news release Friday morning. “If you haven’t already, we strongly encourage our community members to get vaccinated and help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The health department continues to offer free Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccinations every Thursday from 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome.”
As of Friday, 7,267 Christian County residents had tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began — more than one in every 10.
The most recent report marked the ninth weekly release of COVID-19 information by local health officials since they announced they would stop giving daily updates.
The county has reported its first COVID-19 death in three months.
Local health officials on Friday reported the first virus-related death in three months.
The deceased was a 65-year-old woman. No underlying health conditions were reported in a news release from the Christian County Health Department.
Previously, the most recent COVID-19 death was reported on April 23.
According to a state Department of Public Health report released on July 22, Christian County’s coronavirus death toll is 107. The county health department has not provided a an explanation for the discrepancy.
Of all months since the pandemic began, the largest number of coronavirus deaths were reported in January, with 17 residents dying with the virus.
The vast majority of deaths attributed to the virus have been among individuals with underlying health conditions. However, some people may not even be aware they have any medical issues until they contract the virus, health officials warn. Locally, common underlying conditions have included high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease and lung disease.
Christian County has confirmed 3 cases or the Delta variant, but it’s likely the number is much higher.
Three cases of the COVID-19 Delta variant had been confirmed in Christian County as of Wednesday, according to a report provided to Hoptown Chronicle by the Kentucky Department for Public Health.
The variant is likely the source of a much larger number of infections locally, government and public health officials warn.
According to the most recent estimates from the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention, the highly contagious Delta variant — previously known as B.1.617.2 — accounts for more than 83% of new COVID-19 cases nationwide.
The variant is “currently surging in areas of the United States with low vaccination rates,” CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky said during a recent White House briefing. It’s a point of concern for Christian County, where just 22.47% of the population was vaccinated as of Friday.
In Kentucky, like other states, sequencing of confirmed COVID-19 cases is done only occasionally and is oftentimes reported on a significant delay.
“Molecular sequencing of the SARS-CoV-2 virus detected from individuals with COVID-19 in Kentucky to identify variants of concern/interest is performed at the Kentucky Department for Public Health laboratory by request only,” department spokesman Brice Mitchell told Hoptown Chronicle. “This testing is prioritized for cases of COVID-19 that are of particular concern to public health, including suspected vaccine breakthrough cases, outbreak-associated cases, travel-associated cases or other cases of public health significance. Typically, results from molecular sequencing are available several weeks after the case has occurred due to normal delays in case identification, specimen transit and testing protocols.”
As the coronavirus mutation escalates in Kentucky and elsewhere, Gov. Andy Beshear on Monday urged unvaccinated Kentuckians and vaccinated residents with heavy exposure to the public to wear a mask when not in their home.
Counties across the state, including several in western Kentucky, have returned to the ‘red zone.’
At 13.2, the local incidence rate returned to the orange “accelerated” zone of transmission — a category that it hasn’t been included in since May 5.
Two neighboring counties, Hopkins and Muhlenberg, were among just 13 communities in the state that received the red “critical” designation for transmission. Nearby Webster County also was among the red zone counties, which includes counties with 25 or more new cases per 100,000 residents. It’s a label Christian County has avoided since February.
On Thursday, Beshear issued several recommendations for such counties, including postponement of large public events. He also said he hasn’t ruled out re-imposing restrictions, noting his decision would be basked on the number of hospitalizations and how sick individuals are, as well as the percentage of breakthrough cases among vaccinated people.
In Christian County, confirmed active cases have more than doubled in the last week.
The health department's report included 99 active COVID-19 cases — more than doubling last week’s total of 47.
Of the active cases, 74 were among residents between the ages of 22 and 59. No active cases were confirmed among the community’s oldest population group, which is also the group that has the highest rate of COVID-19 vaccination.
The highest the county’s active caseload has ever reached was 924 on Jan. 13. On March. 1, there were 140 active cases. The health department considers a COVID-19 case active if the infected individual is still under quarantine and is, therefore, deemed contagious.
Only about 3% of local COVID-19 cases have been among vaccinated residents.
Since Christian County's vaccination efforts got underway, just five cases of the virus have been confirmed among fully vaccinated residents, Sweeney Brunt told Hoptown Chronicle.
Since Feb. 1 — around the time the first residents would have been considered fully vaccinated — 1,639 coronavirus cases have been confirmed by local health officials.
Christian County has the second worst vaccination rate in Kentucky.
As of Thursday, Christian County’s vaccination rate was the second worst in the state at 22.47% for the total population, according to the state's vaccine database. For the last several months, it ranked last — a position that on Thursday was taken by Ballard County, where 22.06% of residents are vaccinated.
According to the database, 29.70% of Christian County adults (18 and older) and 56.30% of the county's seniors (65 and older) had received at least one dose of vaccine.
According to the data, 51% of all Kentuckians, 62% of adults and 83% of the state's seniors had received at least one dose of vaccine.
Woodford County had the best rate in the state on Wednesday, with 66.45% of residents vaccinated.
Hoptown Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news outlet that provides public service journalism from the heart of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. To sustain this ambitious effort for Hopkinsville, our nonprofit business model relies on donors.