Kentucky COVID-19 levels steady with 716 new cases and 17 deaths. 38.5% vaccinated.
Gov. Andy Beshear announced 716 new cases of COVID-19 in Kentucky on Tuesday and 17 more virus-related deaths.
Seven of the deaths the governor reported are from the ongoing state audit looking for previously uncounted Kentuckians who have died of coronavirus in recent months. The total number of coronavirus deaths across the state has now reached 6,476, and the case total is 441,880.
Beshear on Tuesday reiterated how easy it is to register for a coronavirus vaccine right now in Kentucky. “There are now more options than ever for you to sign up,” he said. Visit vaccinemap.ky.gov for a list of vaccination sites that have openings this week.
Nearly 38.5% of the population in Kentucky is at least partially vaccinated — roughly 1,732,791 people, according to the Kentucky Department for Public Health. On Monday, Beshear said Kentuckians, especially the fully vaccinated, who are outdoors at events with fewer than 1,000 people no longer have to wear masks. The governor still said it is safest for unvaccinated people to wear masks outside around others, and everyone, even the vaccinated, must wear masks in public indoor spaces.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued similar updated guidance on Tuesday, saying it is largely safe to be outdoors around others without a mask, except in large crowds of strangers.
The statewide positivity rate has fallen incrementally since April 18, landing Tuesday at 3.17%. There are 397 people hospitalized with COVID-19 (17 fewer people than on Monday), while 103 people are in intensive care (five fewer) and 41 people are on a ventilator (six fewer).
