COVID-19 cases in Fayette County increase by nine. Total is just shy of 200
The number of people in Fayette County who have tested positive for the coronavirus increased by nine on Friday, bringing the total number of cases in Kentucky’s second-largest county to 197.
No new deaths were reported by the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department on Friday.
To date, seven people from Fayette County have died from complications due to the coronavirus.
More than half of the 197 patients have recovered, health department data shows.
Earlier this week, the health department started releasing more demographic information about those infected with the contagious respiratory illness.
The data shows that black Fayette County residents have been disproportionately affected by the virus.
Black Fayette County residents make up nearly 30 percent of the county’s positive COVID-19 cases but are only 15 percent of the population.
Black patients are also more likely to be hospitalized. Approximately 28 percent of black patients have had to seek inpatient treatment but only 13 percent of white patients have been hospitalized.
Other cities and states have also reported disproportionate infection rates and deaths in black communities.
The data also shows that more women than men in Fayette County have tested positive so far. Approximately 64 percent of the 197 cases are women. Men are 36 percent.
This story was originally published April 10, 2020 at 3:38 PM.
