Last week’s COVID-19 reports had both positive and negative aspects to it, with a drastic reduction in the total number of cases by the end of the most recent seven day reporting period.

On the negative side, during those same seven days in the past week, there were four new deaths listed among Clinton County COVID-19 patients, according to Lake Cumberland District Health Department reports.

Those four new deaths being reported came on Tuesday of last week, when a death was added to the local totals following an audit by the state of death certificiates, followed on Thursday when two deaths were reported on the same day, one being unvaccinated and one partially vaccinated, and another death of a local patient being reported on Friday, an unvaccinated patient.

Those most recent reported deaths among Clinton County patients, brought the total number of local COVID deaths here to 40.

On the positive side of last week’s LCDHD reports involving the COVID -19 pandemic cases, Clinton County experienced a drastic reduction in the total number of current/active cases during the past week.

That downward trend of new cases was a welcomed development, and the 38 new cases reported over the past week was about a third of the number of cases (105) that had been reported during the previous week.

With 63 cases being released during the same seven day reporting period last week, the number of current cases here, as of Tuesday morning, was listed as 30, about half of where that number was just a week ago when 58 current cases were reported.

Clinton County did experience double-digit levels of new reported cases on two days last week, 10 on Tuesday and 11 on Wednesday. It also experienced two days where released case numbers were 20 and 21, on Friday and Monday of this week, respectively.

Currently there is one COVID-19 patient from Clinton County being treated in a hospital.

Clinton County also continues to get vaccinated against the COVID-19 disease at a somewhat consistent rate, with the Kentucky Cabinet for Public Health reporting that 70 Clinton County residents were vaccinated last week.

That brings the total number of Clinton Countians who have been vaccinated to 4,484, which translates to 43.88 percent of the 10,218 residents used as a baseline by the reporting agencies.

As of Tuesday morning, the agency is reporting that 4,340 local residents 18 years of age or older have been vaccinated (55 percent) and 1,445 residents 65 years old and older have received the vaccination.(71.61 percent)

According to the KCPH agency, the bulk of Clinton County residents who have been vaccinated, 3,146, have received the Moderna version, while 849 were vaccinated with the Pfizer version and 498 received the Janssen vaccination.

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 30 cases, numbers across the 10 county LCDHD district, along with the number of patients being treated in area hospitals in parentheses, if any, Adair 52 (7), Casey 28 (4), Cumberland 16 (4), Green 12 (7), McCreary 35 (8), Pulaski 88 (39), Russell 64 (2), Taylor 65 (6), Wayne 32 (7).

As of Tuesday morning, the 10 county LCDHD district was reporting 422 active cases, an decrease of 169 cases across the district compared to last week’s total cases, with 85 patients being treated in area hospitals and 337 on home isolation.

To date, there have been 43,794 total cases of COVID-19 within the LCDHD district since the beginning of the pandemic, resulting in 771 deaths.