Jennie Stuart

The woman is the fourth person whose death has been attributed to COVID-19 in the past two weeks.

The health department reported 51 new cases this week — nearly half of last week's total and less than any week in the month of July.

The health department also reported five newly confirmed cases of COVID-19, pushing the county’s case total to 618.

Previously, the largest reported number of patients known to have COVID-19 was seven.

Christian County Health Department Spokeswoman Amanda Sweeney stressed in a news release Tuesday that a negative test does not end the quarantine period for individuals who've been exposed to someone with COVID-19.

Nearly one-fourth of the county's 176 active cases are in the youngest category for people from birth to age 21.

Christian County has had 344 cases of COVID-19 confirmed to date. Those include 130 active as of Tuesday, 210 recovered and four deaths.

Christian County's positive percentage rate for COVID-19 testing in June was 6%, up from 2% in May.

The state also set another record Friday: 426 new cases of the virus, the most ever identified on one day.

Robert Celing was hospitalized for 12 days after becoming ill from a coronavirus infection. He received a plasma transfusion that a Jennie Stuart Medical Center doctor said probably saved his life.

The health department is asking local residents to pay attention to their surroundings, especially in settings with several people, in the event they need to later help identify people with whom they had contact.

The Christian County Health Department reported the county’s fourth death related to COVID-19 and a surge in coronavirus cases, from 182 to 225 in one day, on Thursday. Some of the cases involved construction workers at the Oak Grove facility.