COVID cases decline in Southern Indiana and Kentucky; doctors talk future predictions

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - As cases decline in Kentucky and Southern Indiana, health officials in the area said they are optimistic about where we are headed.

Kentucky governor Andy Beshear said this week case numbers were once again on the decline in Kentucky.

The same trend was shown in the Louisville Metro.

“It is very much different than what we were seeing a month ago,” Dr. Valerie Briones-Pryor, chief medical officer at UofL Health Shelbyville Hospital said. “It is amazing how things can change in a month. There are still 60 COVID patients in UofL Health hospitals. To put that in perspective, about four weeks ago, we had 60 patients with COVID just at Jewish Hospital alone. So, numbers have dramatically decreased.”

Norton Healthcare reported fewer COVID patients with only 47 currently hospitalized.

Louisville cases reached 1,600 in the last week, down from 3,600 cases the week before, according to the Department of Public Health and Wellness.

In alignment with dropping case numbers, Mayor Greg Fischer lifted the city’s mask mandate for employees and guests inside Metro Government buildings on Friday.

Over in Southern Indiana, health officials have been seeing similar drops.

”It has been steadily over week over week been getting much better,” Brian Cox, director of hospital operations at Baptist Health Floyd said. “We are down to 10 cases and hopefully getting down to the single digits either by the end of this week or certainly into next week.”

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a measure Thursday ending the statewide COVID-19 public health emergency.

Health officials predicted cases will continue to fall, but not without continued precaution.

”We are optimistic that here, spring and summer will be nice,” Cox said. “People will be able to get outside and enjoy getting back together and having less worry, especially as more people get vaccinated.”

In addition to getting vaccinated and boosted, health officials advised the best way to avoid another surge is to have at-home COVID tests on hand.

Doctors said if you feel sick, don’t assume it’s allergies and get tested before being around others.

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