Covid continues to increase in Hancock
The number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase in Hancock County, and stand at 1005 total cases as of Monday, August 23, up 52 cases since August 12. Currently, one person remains hospitalized with the virus.
“We are seeing an alarming rise in our incidence of new COVID-19 cases,” Clay Horton, Green River District Health Department Public Health Director, said in a press release.
“The best way to protect yourself and those you love is to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The vaccines are safe and highly effective. “If you are not yet fully vaccinated, at higher-risk, or work in high traffic public jobs like retail or dining, continue to wear a mask when in indoor public spaces.
If you are not vaccinated against COVID-19, get vaccinated immediately!”
In Hancock County, the Hancock County Health Department and Poole’s Pharmacy Care offer vaccines against the virus. Call 270.927.8803 to make an appointment with the health department, and 270.295.3131 to schedule an appointment at Poole’s Pharmacy.
In the GRDHD press release, Horton released information that shows the Green River Area, which includes Hancock County, registers over 185 new Covid-19 cases each day. That rate translates into almost 1,300 new cases per week in the region. The region’s current death rate from COVID-19 is 1.5972-percent. At the current rate of infection, the region should experience almost 90 deaths from COVID-19 in August alone!
At the current rate of infection, five people per day contract COVID-19 in Hancock County. If this rate continues into September, 150 more people in Hancock County should contract the virus.
With the current rate of infection in the county, according to the current death-rate percentage, Hancock should experience nearly two deaths from COVID-19 in August. The death rate in September should be around three people dying from the virus.
While this does not sound like a high number, it is somebody’s family member; the statistics say someone should lose a grandparent, parent, sibling, cousin or an aunt or an uncle from the virus in August.
Statistically, COVID-19 hits the 20 to 49 age groups the hardest. In the Green River Area region, the 20 to 29 age group contracted COVID-19 2.59 times higher than the 70 to 79 age group, which shows younger people need to take just as much precaution against COVID as the elderly.
“The supply of vaccines is plentiful in our communities,” the GRDHD press release said. “If you have not been vaccinated yet, you are strongly encouraged to do so as soon as possible. Kentucky residents can visit vaccine.ky.gov to find the most convenient vaccination location.”
By Ralph Dickerson
