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Harlan County counted 16 new COVID-19 cases on Monday.

According to the Harlan County Health Department, Monday’s new cases push the total number of COVID-19 cases reported in Harlan since the beginning of the pandemic to 5,516.

Harlan County Judge-Executive Dan Mosley announced via social media the 16 cases include cases reported on Monday as well as over the weekend. Last week marked an uptick in new cases in the county, with 67 new cases recorded. The previous week recorded 60 new cases and the week before that saw 53 new cases recorded in Harlan County.

As of Monday, Harlan County had 89 active COVID-19 cases, with seven people hospitalized and two individuals in ICU due to the virus. There have been 139 COVID-19 related deaths in Harlan County. Mosley mentioned booster shot eligibility has been expanded by the CDC for recipients of any of the three available COVID-19 vaccines. For those who received Pfizer or Moderna vaccines at least six months ago, booster shots are available for anyone over 65 years of age and those aged 18 and over who live in the long-term setting, have underlying medical conditions, or work or live in high-risk settings.

Anybody 18 years of age or older who received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine is eligible for a booster at least two months after receiving their shot. According to the state’s website at https://kentucky.gov, Gov. Andy Beshear held a memorial on Sunday, honoring the more than 10,000 Kentucky citizens who have been lost to COVID-19.

“The number of Kentuckians lost to COVID is approaching the total number of our people we lost in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War combined,” said Beshear. “Right now, more than 10,000 of our neighbors are gone, and their loved ones are hurting, missing them, preparing for their first or second Thanksgiving with an empty seat at the table.”

On Monday, the daily COVID-19 report located at https://chfs.ky.gov reported 726 new COVID-19 cases in Kentucky along with 10 new COVID-19 related deaths. There were 719 individuals hospitalized in Kentucky due to the virus, with 191 people in ICU and 105 persons on ventilators.