Fayette County reports highest one-day total of COVID cases since February, 2 new deaths
Fayette County’s new coronavirus cases topped 171 on Thursday, the highest one-day total reported since February during the height of the pandemic, according to statistics released Friday.
Two new deaths also were reported Friday. One was from August the other was a previously unreported death from July, according to the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department.
The number of Fayette County residents who have died from the virus is now 329. Two of those deaths were reported in the first 13 days of August as the highly contagious Delta variant spread throughout Kentucky.
The 171 cases reported Thursday were the highest since Feb. 15, when the city reported 196 cases. The department releases the previous day’s new cases from Wednesday through Friday. Friday’s new cases are reported Monday; Saturday and Sunday new cases are reported Tuesday.
The seven-day rolling average is now 133. In the first week of July, the seven-day rolling average was 10.
Wild Health announced earlier this week that it was ramping up its drive-through testing location at the University of Kentucky Kroger Field in response to an increased demand for testing.
Health department officials and Gov. Andy Beshear are pushing for more people to get vaccinated as the vast majority of people who have been hospitalized, admitted to intensive care units or died in recent weeks were not vaccinated or not fully vaccinated, state COVID-19 statistics show.
According to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, 67 percent of Fayette County residents over the age of 12 are fully vaccinated. The number of people vaccinated in Fayette County has remained largely the same for several weeks.
Free COVID-19 vaccines are available by same-day appointment every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department Public Health Clinic at 650 Newtown Pike. Call 859-288-2483 to schedule an appointment.
This story was originally published August 13, 2021 at 10:36 AM.
