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SUN STAFF REPORT

Clark County’s daily incidence rate for COVID-19 — the number of cases per 100,000 population — continued to steadily decline this week, following a statewide trend.

The county’s incidence rate of 43.3, reported Wednesday by the local Health Department, was lower than that of most neighboring counties and lower than the state’s average of 57.06 reported for the same day by the Department for Public Health.

Clark County’s incidence rate two weeks ago, on Wednesday, Jan. 13, was 74.85, and a week later, on Jan. 20, it had fallen to 62.24.

County Public Health Director Becky Kissick said she believes the spike in the incidence rate a few weeks ago was associated with holiday gatherings and events, and the county is not currently seeing cases associated with large events.

On Wednesday, the Clark County Health Department confirmed 23 new cases of COVID-19 and reported that 21 people had met the criteria for release. The department is currently working 232 active cases and has had 2,129 cases overall. Eighteen people in the county have died as a result of coronavirus-related illness.

In the past seven days, the county has seen 110 new coronavirus cases: 23 Wednesday, 21 Tuesday, eight Monday, 15 Sunday, 13 Saturday, 16 last Friday, and 15 last Thursday.

On Wednesday in his daily press conference, Gov. Andy Beshear reported there were 2,424 new COVID-19 cases and 47 new deaths. There were 1,597 hospitalized, including 387 in intensive care units and 225 on ventilators. The statewide testing positivity rate was 9.35 percent.

As of Wednesday, the virus has claimed 3,542 lives in Kentucky.