The Jefferson County Health Department reported another 158 COVID-19 cases today, bringing the total number of cases in the county to 14,169 since the first ones were reported in March.
The county currently has 5,505 active cases, the highest number since the pandemic began, the Health Department reported.
As of midnight Thursday, a total of 8,521 people had been released from isolation since the start of the pandemic, according to the Health Department.
Of the county’s total coronavirus cases, 996 have been at long-term care facilities, which includes residents and staff members who live in Jefferson County.
Of the total 111 COVID-19 deaths in the county, 58 have been from long-term care facilities, the Health Department reported.
Red status
The county remains at the red level on the Health Department’s COVID-19 warning system, for the sixth consecutive week.
Red is the highest level on the Health Department’s four-color system and indicates widespread and uncontrolled transmission of the virus.
Several factors are evaluated when determining the color level, including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and White House Pandemic Task Force guidelines. However, the main indicator is the seven-day rolling average number of cases. If the county has a rolling average of 25 or more cases per day per 100,000 residents, it is moved to the red level.
From Nov. 29 through Dec. 5, the seven-day rolling average number of cases in the county was 83.49 per day per 100,000 people in the county, which has a population of about 225,000.
That was down slightly from the previous week, when the rolling average number of cases was 86.67 per day per 100,000 residents, the Health Department reported
Preventive steps
In an effort to control the spread of the virus, health officials urge residents to follow the county’s face mask order, which requires residents to wear face masks while in public spaces when social distancing cannot be maintained. There are no fines or penalties for violators, though.
The Health Department also stresses the importance of taking additional steps to stem the spread of the virus, including limiting nonessential travel, avoiding crowds, social distancing, good hand-washing and staying home if you are sick.
