New coronavirus cases leaped in Kentucky in the week ending Sunday, rising 60.1% as 9,630 cases were reported. The previous week had 6,016 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Kentucky ranked 20th 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 10.9% from the week before, with 770,895 cases reported. With 1.34% of the country’s population, Kentucky had 1.25% of the country’s cases in the last week. Across the country, 22 states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.
Henderson County reported 56 cases and one death in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 23 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 14,090 cases and 169 deaths.
Union County reported eight cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 12 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 4,363 cases and 57 deaths.
Webster County reported 14 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported seven cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 3,944 cases and 49 deaths.
Within Kentucky, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Montgomery County with 419 cases per 100,000 per week; McCracken County with 408; and Johnson County with 401. 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 1,579 cases; Fayette County, with 690 cases; and McCracken County, with 267. Weekly case counts rose in 71 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week’s pace were in McCracken, Christian and Boone counties.
>> See how your community has fared with recent coronavirus cases
Across Kentucky, cases fell in 44 counties, with the best declines in Jefferson County, with 1,579 cases from 2,643 a week earlier; in Bullitt County, with 126 cases from 283; and in Henry County, with 28 cases from 139.
In Kentucky, 54 people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, 41 people were reported dead.
A total of 1,361,744 people in Kentucky have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 15,987 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 84,762,022 people have tested positive and 1,008,585 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, June 5.
Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:
- Last week: 867
- The week before that: 754
- Four weeks ago: 609
Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:
- Last week: 58,022
- The week before that: 55,117
- Four weeks ago: 44,923
Hospitals in 35 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 32 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 29 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.
