Deaths: We are pleased to report no new deaths today. We have experienced a total of 63 deaths resulting in a 2.9% mortality rate among known cases.

Hospitalizations: We presently have 18 cases in the hospital. We have had a total of 199 hospitalizations resulting in a 9.1% hospitalization rate among known cases. The latest state data shows that 69% of ICU beds and 26% of ventilator capacity are being utilized.

Released (Not contagious) Cases: We released 29 cases today from isolation. Released cases include: Adair: 1; Casey: 1; Cumberland: 2; Green: 9; McCreary: 4; Pulaski: 10; and, Taylor: 2. In all, we have released 79.7% of our total cases.

Total (Cumulative) Cases: The Lake Cumberland District has experienced a total of 2,186 cases since the onset of the outbreak.

Active (Current) Cases: Taking all things into account, this leaves us with 381 active cases in our district across all 10 of our district’s 10 counties.

New Cases: We report that our total case count has increased by 17 today: Green: 6; McCreary: 1; Pulaski: 8; and, Taylor: 2. Our current new case growth rate is: 1.018. This means our total case count is projected to double every 38.25 days.

The new cases include:

• Green: A 75-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
• Green: A 18-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
• Green: A 87-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
• Green: A 52-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
• Green: A 18-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
• Green: A 17-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
• McCreary: A 50-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
• Pulaski: A 35-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
• Pulaski: A 26-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
• Pulaski: A 42-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
• Pulaski: A 36-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
• Pulaski: A 64-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
• Pulaski: A 75-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
• Pulaski: A 62-year-old male who is self-isolated, asymptomatic
• Pulaski: A 68-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
• Taylor: A 38-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic
• Taylor: A 1 month-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic

First, we only report 17 new cases today (I remember when 3 cases in one day seemed overwhelming). We are also glad to report no new deaths. Our hospitalizations went up by one to 18, but is significantly lower than our all-time high of 32.

Too often it seems we are only able to report bad news. There are some good (at least moderately good) things to report this week. While the state had its worse week since the onset of the outbreak as far as new cases, ours, after two weeks of sharp increase, decreased this week. Last week we added 267 new cases, this week, 258. While compared to last Saturday, we have 5 additional active cases (381 versus 376), today’s active count of 381 is 29 below our high on Wednesday of 410. Let’s hope the good news carries over into next week.

I was asked by one of the physicians on my Board this week about several groups, including the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), recommending schools go back to in-person instruction. I responded that I knew there are many things to consider and that there isn’t any easy answers. No matter if we at the health department think a return to in-person instruction is a good idea or not, we continue to work diligently with all area schools to review their sports and re-opening plans and to give input on how they can reduce the risk of spreading the disease. Of course, nothing can eliminate all risk. Even with many schools not yet having face-to-faces sessions, we still have 36 current cases tied back to school-age children, or faculty/staff of schools, or of kids in college.

I guess the question is, “How much ‘normal’ can we achieve during the COVID-19 pandemic without breaking the health-care system”? I don’t have the answer to that. Regardless, until there is a vaccine, I do know some ways we can slow the spread. We should all do our part to slow the spread of this disease by wearing our face coverings, avoiding crowds (especially in confined spaces), social distancing when around others, increasing our hand hygiene, increasing our general sanitation, and by avoiding the touching of our faces.

The Lake Cumberland area has experienced 2,186 Cumulative Confirmed Cases (1% of our area’s total population) and there have been 52,503 Confirmed COVID-19 cases across all 120 Kentucky Counties as of today (this includes 52,464 statewide plus 39 recently reported cases in Lake Cumberland not in the Governor’s/Department for Public Health’s daily report). Regardless of the confirmed case count for any Lake Cumberland County, we believe COVID-19 to be widespread. The LCDHD is working tirelessly, including nights and weekends, to identify and contact all those with whom any positive case may have come into close contact, and to follow-up daily with positive cases. Additionally, we are striving diligently to follow-up on business-related complaints regarding noncompliance with the Governor’s Executive Orders.