August 16, 2021
Judge Executive Gale Cowan released the following after questions about Covid-19 reports:
I have had some inquiries about the COVID-19 numbers being reported each day by the Lake Cumberland District Health Department. I want everyone to know that I pass those questions on to our Local and District Health Department staff if it is something I can’t answer myself.
One of the main questions or comments I get is regarding the number of cases in the hospital. While talking this morning with health department staff, the best way to answer that is, Look at the numbers reported and just know, it is probably worse. Unless someone is hospitalized at the onset of testing positive, the health department doesn’t know if someone goes to the hospital. Hospitals ask months ago that they not call daily to see who is in the hospital. That takes nurses time away from the patients. With hospitals so full and also short staffed, they need to spend every minute possible taking care of their patients. Health Departments are back to rehiring those that assisted last year and earlier this year with contacting patients and are still running 1-2 days behind on working cases.
Since the pandemic began, Adair County’s single highest day of new cases was December 9, 2020 with 28 new cases. We reported that same amount of new cases on Friday. Our highest amount of active cases on a single day was at 155. On Friday we were back to 84 active cases. The virus is spreading here now, just as fast as it ever has.
Please continue to pray for all those affected by the virus. Prayers for our county, our state, and our nation.