The number of COVID-19 cases in Muhlenberg County has spiked suddenly, following the recent mass testing at a state prison in Central City.
The Muhlenberg County Health Department reports 467 cases of COVID-19.
The total includes confirmed cases in the community, and at the Green Rive Correctional Complex, a state prison in Central City that can house close to 1,000 men.
Alma Fink is nursing supervisor for the Muhlenberg County Health Department.
“The spike was reported suddenly because as the tests were done over the period of Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of that week, they were sent to Gravity labs to be finalized, and those results started flowing in a couple of days after the tests were run," said Fink.
Gravity Diagnostics in Covington, Kentucky has become an important link in the chain of COVID-19 testing in Kentucky, as well as other states.
At the Green River Correctional Complex, 384 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed, including 356 inmates and 28 staff. The prison has reported two COVID-19 related deaths. The prison has completed the initial round of mass testing at the facility.
Two people from the prison are in the hospital, and 40 have recovered.
Fink said health and correctional agencies are collaborating to minimize further spread of the virus at the state prison.
“The health department here is working with the Department of Corrections, and with the Kentucky Department for Public Health, and Green River Correctional Complex to work on the testing of the inmates and employees, as well as they’re going to be arranging the inmates into different groups based on their status,” said Fink.
In the Muhlenberg County community, 83 cases have been confirmed and four people have died from the virus.
In the cases diagnosed in the community, four people are hospitalized and 43 have recovered from the virus.
