6 of 10 US counties with highest incident rate of COVID-19 are in Kentucky
Kentucky is seeing the worst spread of the virus in its southern counties.
FRANKFORT, Ky. (WXIX) - Kentucky is home to six of the country’s top 10 counties—and 12 of the top 25—in COVID-19 incidence rate, according to data compiled by the New York Times.
Perry County has the nation’s highest incident rate over the last two weeks with 65 average daily cases per 100,000 residents.
Clay, Whitley, Russell and Grayson counties are also in the top 10.
Tennessee accounts for three counties in the top 10. The remaining county is in Oklahoma.
No counties in the FOX19 viewing area are represented in the top 25.
Gov. Andy Beshear referenced the data in his Monday Team Kentucky media briefing.
Saturday-Monday, Kentucky recorded 10,007 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 68 newly confirmed virus-related deaths.
School-aged children have the highest incident rate by demographic, as has been the case for weeks, according to Beshear.
The next highest incident rate is among those 20-29.
Those age groups are also the least vaccinated among groups eligible for the vaccine.
Using newly available US Census data, Beshear reported as of Monday 2,618,081 Kentuckians, or 59 percent of the entire population, is vaccinated.
Of Kentuckians eligible for the vaccine, (12 and up) 69 percent are vaccinated.
“I am asking you to break the Thanksgiving dinner rule and have a tough conversation with those you love and care about who are hesitant to get the vaccine,” Beshear said. “It won’t be easy. But they are more likely to listen to a friend or family member, and that one conversation could save their life.”
The graphic below is incorrect with respect to “Total unique persons vaccinated.”
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