Henderson County's COVID cases up 45.2%; Kentucky cases surge 23.1%
New coronavirus cases leaped in Kentucky in the week ending Sunday, rising 23.1% as 11,950 cases were reported. The previous week had 9,704 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Kentucky ranked 17th among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the latest week coronavirus cases in the United States increased 29% from the week before, with 947,862 cases reported. With 1.34% of the country's population, Kentucky had 1.26% of the country's cases in the last week. Across the country, 42 states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.
The Fourth of July holiday disrupted who got tested, when people got tested and when both test results and deaths were reported. This may significantly skew week-to-week comparisons.
Henderson County reported 122 cases and one death in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 84 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 14,596 cases and 174 deaths.
Union County reported 47 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 17 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 4,483 cases and 57 deaths.
Webster County reported 34 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 26 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 4,083 cases and 50 deaths.​
Within Kentucky, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Johnson County with 577 cases per 100,000 per week; Perry County with 462; and Rowan County with 450. The Centers for Disease Control says high levels of community transmission begin at 100 cases per 100,000 per week.
Adding the most new cases overall were Jefferson County, with 1,843 cases; Fayette County, with 811 cases; and Hardin County, with 394. Weekly case counts rose in 71 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week's pace were in Jefferson, Pike and Daviess counties.
>> See how your community has fared with recent coronavirus cases
​ Across Kentucky, cases fell in 47 counties, with the best declines in Warren County, with 244 cases from 316 a week earlier; in Woodford County, with 68 cases from 116; and in Madison County, with 218 cases from 246. ​
In Kentucky, ​ 59 ​ people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, 44 people were reported dead.
A total of 1,426,716 people in Kentucky have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 16,275 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 89,542,107 people have tested positive and 1,023,799 people have died.
>> Track coronavirus cases across the United States
Kentucky's COVID-19 hospital admissions rising
USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, July 17. Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:
Last week: 1,243
The week before that: 887
Four weeks ago: 1,036
Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:
Last week: 73,328
The week before that: 67,692
Four weeks ago: 57,602
Hospitals in 36 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 27 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 40 states admitted more COVID-19 patients in the latest week than a week prior, the USA TODAY analysis of U.S. Health and Human Services data shows.
The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from Johns Hopkins University and the Centers for Disease Control. If you have questions about the data or the story, contact Mike Stucka at mstucka@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Henderson Gleaner: Henderson County reported 122 additional COVID-19 cases this week
