The rate of people testing positive for COVID-19 in Christian County has increased while the statewide rate declines.
The Christian County Health Department’s drive-thru test site had a positivity rate of 10.9% in the past week, department spokeswoman Amanda Sweeney said Wednesday. That compares to 4.6% at the state level, according to Gov. Andy Beshear’s daily briefing on the same day.
County Health Director Kayla Bebout said the county’s positivity rate since testing began at Tie Breaker Park is 7.26%
Meanwhile, the health department reported 10 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, pushing the county’s total since the pandemic began to 849. The total included 237 active cases and 601 recovered, in addition to the 11 coronavirus related deaths in the county.
The active cases by age group are:
- Youth (0-21): 55
- Young Adult-Middle Age (22-59): 131
- Older Adult (60-84): 43
- Elderly (85+): 8
In other coronavirus data released this week, the health department outlined the number of people tested in Christian County and demographic details of people who have contracted the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
As of Tuesday, the department reported 8,624 coronavirus tests administered at the health department’s drive-thru site and 5,384 at Jennie Stuart Health facilities.
By racial breakdown, the positive cases include: 524, Caucasian: 234, Black: six, Asian: 39, classified as other; and 36, unknown.
In many areas of the country, health advocates have noted a disparity in minority communities with high rates of the virus. That is proving to be the case in Christian County, also.
While the Census Bureau reports that 22.1% of county residents are Black or African American, approximately 27.9% of those testing positive for COVID-19 have been Black.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
