Public Health News & Alerts

Louisville Metro Government sent this bulletin at 07/29/2022 09:00 AM EDT

Friday, July 29, 2022

Public Health News & Alerts

Louisville COVID-19 cases spike to red-alert level

Louisville COVID-19 case counts have sharply increased, placing the city into the red-alert level. Health experts recommend people living in high community-level counties to wear a mask indoors in public, stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccines and get tested if experiencing symptoms. Additional precautions may be needed for people at high risk for severe illness

Here are the key COVID-19 data metrics for this week:

Daily average incidence rate of 53.4 cases per 100,000 population
Weekly incidence rate of 394.65 cases per 100,000 population
2,869 new cases reported over the previous week
13 newly reported deaths
4% staffed inpatient beds in use by patients with confirmed COVID-19
5.2% staffed ICU beds are in use by patients with confirmed COVID-19
47.5% of those fully vaccinated have received a booster dose
Wastewater testing data shows the BA.5 variant to be the dominant variant.

Need help finding a COVID test or vaccination location? Have you tested positive for COVID, but aren't sure what to do? Call the LOU Health COVID-19 Helpline, 502-912-8598, available Monday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Language translation services are available.

Support for breastfeeding moms

August as the National Breastfeeding Month. This year, the theme is: Together We Do Great Things.

This year’s theme focuses on thriving families and communities, requiring more than one person, and together great things can be accomplished. Here at Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness (LMPHW), we are working together to impact our community through breastfeeding support and recognition.

We have four incredible peer support counselors who provide support, encouragement, and help families who are enrolled in WIC with breastfeeding.

Our Healthy Start and WIC also have certified lactation counselors (CLC) who help provide support and education. All our counselors breastfed their babies and have great experiences and tips to share.

As August begins and you see a parent feeding their baby, whether they are breastfeeding or bottle feeding, remember to provide kindness and support. As a new parent, having programs like the WIC peer counselor program or the support of a CLC can help provide the support needed. But with a community to surround and encourage them, it can make the biggest difference in parents’ lives!

Visit our website to learn more about WIC’s Infant Feeding Classes.

Protect yourself from monkeypox

The risk of monkeypox to the public remains low in Jefferson County. We have confirmed five cases to date: two have recovered and three are isolating at home.

If you have symptoms of monkeypox, please contact your healthcare provider or visit an urgent treatment center to see if you should be tested and treated. Please isolate at home until you can be seen. Wear a face mask to your appointment and make sure any lesions are completely covered.

Due to a limited supply of the vaccine, the CDC and Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) have determined that vaccinations are currently prioritized for close contacts of someone who has tested positive.

This week the CDC announced 800,000 more doses of the vaccine are being made available to all state and local health departments. We expect to receive additional doses soon. Please check our website frequently for updates: https://louisvilleky.gov/government/health-wellness/monkeypox