For second straight day, Fayette tops 120 in new COVID cases

September 3, 2020

Steve Rogers,

FAYETTE COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ) – If the first two days are any indication, September may not be any better than August in terms of new coronavirus cases in Lexington and Fayette County.

After starting the month with the second-highest one-day total, the county followed with the third-highest total on the second day of the month.

According to the Lexington Fayette County Health Department’s daily morning report Thursday, the county confirmed 120 cases Wednesday, bringing the county’s total to 6,035 since March.

The county set a record for new cases in August with 2,538.

And University of Kentucky students continued to fuel the increase.

Of the numbers from Wednesday, 47 were University of Kentucky students, pushing the number of Fayette County UK students to 927.

Kevin Hall, Communications Officer with the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department, says it’s important students listen to UK officials ahead of the Labor Day weekend.

“It’s really important that they understand that if they’re showing any symptoms at all to stay in, stay away from others. We know that some students that have been reporting symptoms have, well this isn’t that bad I’m gonna go on to place X or business Y. We need you to stay away from others,” said Hall.

According to the morning report, 4,861 people have recovered, an increase of 90 from the prior report.

No new deaths were reported Wednesday, leaving the county’s total at 58.

The number of reported cases has grown steadily each month during the outbreak:

110, March
143, April
507, May
793, June
1,702 July
2,538, August

Eight of Lexington’s 11 highest one-day totals were in August, with 27 days seeing 58 cases or more:

131 cases, Aug. 7
119 cases, Aug. 28
116 cases, July 27
112 cases, Aug. 27
105 cases, Aug. 4, Aug. 14
102 cases, Aug. 26
101 cases, Aug. 13
100 cases, July 23
91 cases, July 31
90 cases, Aug. 5

The health department’s numbers are for UK students who are Fayette County residents and is not a total of all cases at the university. A student who tests positive is considered a Fayette County resident if they live in Fayette County already or elect to stay in Lexington during their isolation.

If they commute to campus from another county or elect to return to their home town for isolation, they are not in the Fayette Health Department’s numbers.

Hall also shared a message for students, “This is your chance to be able to show people that those stereotypes about young people don’t exist and to tell them to show people that you’re following the guidelines, you’re listening, you’re wearing your mask, you are social distancing and you’re being good members of the community.”

The city’s highest one-day totals to date have been:

• 131 cases, Aug. 7

• 122 cases, Sept. 1

• 120 cases, Sept. 2

• 119 cases, Aug. 27

• 118 cases, Aug. 28

• 116 cases, July 27

• 112 cases, Aug. 27

• 105 cases, Aug. 4, Aug. 14

• 102 cases, Aug. 26

• 101 cases, Aug. 13

• 100 cases, July 23

• 91 cases, July 31

• 90 cases, Aug. 5

• 89 cases, July 30

• 88 cases, Aug. 29

• 87 cases, Aug. 19

• 86 cases, Aug. 20

• 84 cases, Aug. 6, Aug. 22

• 82 cases, Aug. 1

• 81 cases, Aug. 17

• 80 cases, Aug. 12

• 74 cases, Aug. 18

• 72 cases, Aug. 23

• 71 cases, Aug. 15

• 69 cases, July 15, July 19, Aug. 8, Aug. 9

• 67 cases, July 26

• 65 cases, July 10

• 63 cases, Aug. 2

• 62 cases, July 6, Aug. 11, Aug. 21, Aug. 24
• 61 cases, July 20
• 58 cases, July 13, Aug. 16, Aug. 25
• 56 cases, July 11
• 54 cases, July 28
• 53 cases, July 22
• 49 cases, July 29, Aug. 10
• 48 cases, July 16, July 18
• 47 cases, July 17, July 24, Aug. 3
• 46 cases, July 1

Lexington’s COVID-19 numbers, including charts with demographics, hospitalizations and more, are updated Monday-Saturday at lfchd.org.

Please follow these guidelines to help protect others by slowing the spread of COVID-19:
• Wash your hands often
• Avoid close contact with others
• Wear a cloth face covering in public