As is the case across Kentucky and most of the nation, the number of active COVID-19 cases in Clinton County took a sharp rise over the past seven day reporting period, according to the Lake Cumberland District Health Department.

In fact, the number of current/active cases in Clinton County nearly doubled from last Tuesday morning to Tuesday morning of this week, from 30 on November 30, to 58 on December 7.

As far as new cases go, it was the largest number of new cases being reported over the past seven day period for Clinton County since late August.

There were 105 new cases of COVID-19 reported within the Clinton County population during the past seven day reporting period, the largest number of new cases since a week in late August when 138 new cases were reported.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has been reporting in his COVID-19 reports to the public that Kentucky, in the past several days, has experienced a serious uptick in the number of new cases being reported.

The end of November Thanksgiving gatherings have been cited as one of the most likely causes for the sharp increase in new cases of the disease.

Clinton County’s highest days for new cases being reported came at the start of the most recent seven day reporting period, according to the LCDHD, when 19 and 21 new cases were reported on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week, respectively.

Currently, there are two Clinton County patients who are being treated for COVID-19 in area hospitals and there were no new deaths reported among Clinton County patients during the most recent seven day reporting period.

As of Tuesday morning, Clinton County had 36 patients who have died as a direct result of COVID-19, according to LCDHD.

One positive aspect from looking at the most recent reporting numbers came in the vaccination rate among Clinton County residents.

According to the Kentucky Cabinet for Public Health, some 75 local residents were vaccinated during the past seven days, bringing the total number of local citizens who have been vaccinated to 4,414.

That was nearly double the number of people who received vaccinations during the prior week.

As of Tuesday morning, the Cabinet noted that of the 10,218 Clinton County residents used as a baseline population number, 43.20 percent have been vaccinated, while 54 percent 18 years and older have been vaccinated and 71.01 percent of the population 65 years of age and older have been vaccinated.

Vaccinations against the virus are now readily available at several locations in Albany, including local pharmacies, and those seeking a vaccine are urged to call your favorite pharmacy for information.

Vaccines are also now available again at the Clinton County Health Department.

Vaccination appointments through the Clinton County Health Department, or more information about the vaccines being offered and the vaccination dates and times, may be obtained by calling 606-387-5711.

The local health department is also now offering booster vaccines to those who are eligible.

In addition to Clinton County’s current 58 cases, numbers across the 10 county LCDHD district, along with the number of patients being treated in area hospitals in parentheses, if any, Adair 67 (8), Casey 38 (6), Cumberland 60 (4), Green 15 (7), McCreary 41 (11), Pulaski 126 (31), Russell 61 (3), Taylor 57 (7), Wayne 68 (7).

As of Tuesday morning, the 10 county LCDHD district was reporting 591 active cases, an increase of 123 cases across the district compared to last week’s total cases, with 86 patients being treated in area hospitals and 505 on home isolation.

To date, there have been 43,217 total cases of COVID-19 within the LCDHD district since the beginning of the pandemic, resulting in 739 deaths.