Kentucky has 7th-highest day for new COVID-19 cases. Positivity rate back above 9%.
Gov. Andy Beshear announced 3,784 new cases of COVID-19 in Kentucky on Wednesday and 29 additional deaths, raising the total number of cases to 265,262 and the death toll to 2,623.
Wednesday’s tally of new cases is the seventh-highest single-day increase the state has reported since the beginning of the pandemic.
In a written update, Beshear noted the mid-week increase was “higher than it has been for a number of days,” adding, “The progress we have made is fragile.”
After hovering below 9 percent for a few days, the rate of Kentuckians testing positive is back up to 9.09 percent. This uptick may be the result of delayed processing or closures at testing labs, Beshear said.
Citing a decline of the state’s positivity rate and number of new daily cases, Beshear said earlier this week that Kentucky has successfully curtailed its exponential growth of new cases. Since Christmas was a week ago, it’s not fully clear yet whether Kentucky will see another spike in cases stemming from gatherings over Christmas. To try and mitigate any potential for further spread, Beshear urged Kentuckians to avoid group get-togethers that include more than two households over New Year’s. Ideally, he said this week, people should opt to stay home.
“We need everybody to be safe this New Year’s Eve,” he said. “Do not gather in large groups.”
Statewide, there are 1,673 people hospitalized with COVID-19 (an increase of 38 people from Tuesday). Of those, 433 are in intensive care (53 more) and 234 are on a ventilator (23 more).
In nursing and assisted living homes, where residents and staff are in the process of receiving the first wave of a coronavirus vaccine, the state on Wednesday reported 97 additional residents had tested positive, along with 72 staff. At least 2,337 residents and staff are considered actively positive.
This story was originally published December 30, 2020 at 5:39 PM.
