Central Kentucky health departments overwhelmed by COVID-19

RICHMOND, Ky. (WKYT) - Health departments in counties throughout the commonwealth are reporting overwhelming numbers of COVID-19.

Some said the number of people testing positive surpasses employees available.

“We can’t ignore the fact though that too many people across Kentucky are not vaccinated,” said Kevin Hall with the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department.

And now, according to Hall, cases are going up.

“Our teams are making hundreds and hundreds of calls per day, whether it’s reaching out to contacts, doing the contract tracing, it’s to the point though and it’s been this way for a while, that we can’t call everyone,” Hall said.

It’s a problem seen across the commonwealth, according to Hall.

He said it’s a priority to call everyone who tests positive, but now it’s on those people to inform their close contacts.

“The numbers of cases throughout the Commonwealth are surpassing the number of employees available,” Hall said.

Madison County is no different.

People working at the Madison County Health Department said the incidence rate for COVID has been steadily increasing since the end of July. Now, 705 people have tested positive in just the last seven days.

“There’s no happy way or easy way to report that, but those are the numbers,” said Kelley McBride with the Madison County Health Department.

McBride said they’re in the red zone and it’s likely the delta variant causing the increase.

“All of us let our guards down just a little bit, and now we are facing another surge of COVID-19,” McBride said.

And now, officials in health departments across the state have the same message.

“Get your vaccine,” McBride said.

In Fayette County, the health department reports about 70% of people are vaccinated and they’re seeing an average of about 230 new cases a day.

Copyright 2021 WKYT. All rights reserved.