Lexington COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations are the lowest they’ve been in months
Lexington has reported some of its lowest numbers of new COVID-19 cases in recent months, with the city’s rolling average of new cases decreasing for five consecutive weeks.
With new data reported Monday by the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department, the city’s rolling seven-day average of new cases has dropped under 100 for the first time since October.
The Fayette County incidence rate on Saturday hit its lowest point since Oct. 29. Incidence rate is a measure used by the state Department for Public Health to determine the severity of COVID-19 spread in every county. An incidence rate of 25 or higher is considered to be in the “red zone,” or the highest level of spread.
Fayette County’s incidence rate has been in the red zone every day since Oct. 27, but the number has dropped to nearly 30 in recent days after previously ballooning as high as 84.3.
Lexington’s hospitalizations were lower too, with 45 new residents hospitalized over the past week. That’s slightly more than the previous week, but a significant drop compared to the past several months during which there were as many as 96 new hospitalizations in a single week. Hospitalizations haven’t been below 50 for consecutive weeks since late October into early November.
The local trend is also occurring statewide. Gov. Andy Beshear on Sunday reported Kentucky’s fifth straight week of declines in new cases.
“It means we continue to move in the right direction,” Beshear said in a video message posted to social media Monday.
Lexington COVID-19 deaths still high
One COVID-19 statistic that’s not dropping for Lexington is deaths. There were five newly-announced deaths Monday morning, four of which occurred in January but were previously unconfirmed.
January is now among the city’s deadliest months with 34 fatalities. November and December are tied for the record at 37. There have been seven deaths in February so far, according to the local health department.
This story was originally published February 15, 2021 at 2:23 PM.