LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville health officials and doctors reported an "alarming increase" Wednesday in the number of COVID-19 cases in the area, and they believe the vast majority of them are due to the infiltration of the omicron variant.
Dr. Sarahbeth Hartlage, associate medical director for Louisville's health department said 11 months ago, the city was reporting an average of 500 new COVID-19 cases. A week ago, that number was 532. One day ago, it was 1,060. And on Wednesday, it was an average of 1,742, a "dramatic increase over a short period of time," Hartlage said.
"I am as alarmed as you are about the increase in cases. We have seen a significant uptick in the last few days in particular, and we do believe that they are new cases.”
The city's incidence rate has been on the rise as well. Hartlage said one month ago, the incidence rate was 28.99 cases per 100,000 members of the population. One week ago it was 49.69. One day ago it was 79.15. And on Wednesday, it rose to 101.38 cases.
"This has really shattered the previous records that we have," Hartlage said, calling the numbers, "very, very concerning."
As for the city's positivity rate, Hartlage said it was at 8.25% a month ago, at 11.5% a week ago, at 15.44% a day ago and 19.49% on Wednesday.
Area hospitals are also beginning to see an increase in COVID-19 patients. Dr. Steve Hester of Norton Healthcare said, as of Wednesday, his network of hospitals had 176 COVID-19 patients. Of that number, he said 80% were unvaccinated. He also said 11 cases were pediatric patients.
Dr. Chuck Anderson, of Baptist Health, said his network saw a "big jump" in COVID-19 patients after Christmas and that there are currently between 60-70 patients at Baptist Health Louisville, around 60 at Baptist Health Floyd and 15 at Baptist Health La Grange. He said network-wide, the Baptist system peaked out at 400 COVID-19 cases last fall, and it currently stands at 320 cases.
Dr. Sarah Moyer, the city's chief health strategist, encouraged everyone to get tested before heading back to work and school after the holidays but admitted that the supply of tests is starting to run out.
"If you wake up feeling poorly, the safest thing is just to assume that you are positive," Hartlage said.
Moyer said preliminary testing shows that the vast majority of new cases in the Louisville area this week are from the omicron variant, but that can't be officially determined until late next month.
Despite the rise in numbers, health officials said they expect to see an even higher rise in cases 10-14 days after any New Year's parties.
"We will see a continued rise," Hartlage said. "It's just a matter of how big that rise will be."
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