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Number of Kentucky counties at high COVID-19 level doubles. Here’s where to mask

Kentucky added 4,883 new COVID-19 cases over the course of the last reporting week, spanning Jan. 26 to Feb. 2, according to the latest available data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That’s an increase from the previous week’s total, which was 2,597 new cases, though the weekly total of new cases has been rising and falling in recent weeks.

Last week also came with an announcement from President Joe Biden’s administration that it plans to end the public health emergency this spring, signaling a less-dire phase of the pandemic, according to the New York Times.

As explained by the Kaiser Family Fund, this will bring changes to access for COVID-19 testing, treatment and vaccines, among other things, when the public health emergency declaration ends May 11.

In the meantime, here’s where Kentucky stands with the coronavirus pandemic.

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What is the state of COVID-19 in Kentucky?

The number of Kentucky counties experiencing high COVID-19 community levels during the most recent reporting week doubled, according to CDC data.

Eleven Kentucky counties scattered throughout the eastern and southern parts of the state are at high COVID-19 community levels, a metric the CDC uses to gauge the impacts of the disease county by county.

The latest COVID-19 community levels from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of Feb. 2, 2023.
The latest COVID-19 community levels from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of Feb. 2, 2023.

COVID-19 community levels include weekly totals of new infections and hospital admissions, as well as weekly averages of hospital bed capacity.

The CDC recommends people in counties at high COVID-19 community levels wear masks or face coverings while indoors in public spaces.

Another 40 Kentucky counties are at medium, slightly fewer than the previous week’s 49 counties at that community level. The remaining 69 counties are at low community levels of COVID-19.

Fayette County is once again in the medium COVID-19 community level.

Kentucky’s positivity rate, as of Jan. 30 according to state data, stands at 10.05%.

There were 52 additional COVID-19 deaths between Jan. 26 and Feb. 2, according to the CDC. Altogether, Kentucky has lost more than 17,000 lives to the disease since the start of the pandemic three years ago.

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Do you have a question about the coronavirus in Kentucky for our service journalism team? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Know Your Kentucky form or email ask@herald-leader.com.