For the first time since late October, all five counties served by the Pennyrile District Health Department are out of the red at the same time.
The state introduced an incidence rate map in September that takes the average number of new cases over a seven-day period and normalizes it per 100,000 population. A seven-day average of 25 or more cases means the county is labeled a ‘red’ county or critical for outbreak purposes.
On Wednesday, Trigg, Lyon, Caldwell, Crittenden, and Livingston counties all had an incidence rate below 25.
Trigg County is out of the red for the first time since November 17, according to the state’s COVID-19 reporting website. Livingston County was moved to ‘orange’ status or accelerated, for the first time since November 4.
Caldwell County is an ‘orange’ county for the sixth straight day, while Lyon County is ‘orange’ for the third time in four days.
Crittenden County has done the best job at mitigating spread in the five-county district in December, recording its second straight day in the yellow for averaging less than 10 new cases daily for a week.
The last time all five counties in the Pennyrile District Health Department were out of the ‘red’ was October 27. New COVID cases increased across the state in the two weeks after Halloween. All five counties have also had to treat outbreaks in congregate settings in December which can skew the numbers dramatically in rural areas which is one of the concerns of the incidence rate map that was created by the state’s health commissioner Dr. Steven Stack.
Trigg County reported 13 new cases on Wednesday with nine people in the 22 to 59 age group infected. Three were under 21 which is the most since December 10. All 13 people were reported to be isolated at home with no or minor symptoms.
Caldwell County reported 10 new cases, and Lyon County added six cases of the coronavirus.
