89% of ICU beds are full as Kentucky has another Top 5 day for new COVID-19 cases
Kentucky reported 5,111 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday — the fourth-highest increase in a single day since the start of the pandemic — 30% of which are in kids 18 years-old and younger.
The number of people hospitalized with the virus continues to escalate, peaking at a record 2,365 on Friday — an increase of 50 people from Thursday. In intensive care units across the state, 661 people with coronavirus are being treated (an increase of 41 people in the last day), and 465 require a ventilator to breathe (57 more people). More than 89% of the state’s ICU beds are occupied by patients, leaving 160 available. Roughly 72% of the state’s inpatient beds are full.
“I hope I can convey how real this is,” Beshear said in a short video, again pleading with people to get vaccinated. “How many more days of 5,000+ cases and record numbers of Kentuckians on a ventilator do we want?”
He also announced 24 deaths, bringing the total number of people who’ve reportedly died from the virus to 7,845. The statewide positivity rate dipped for a third-straight day on Friday to 13.17%, down from 13.29% on Thursday.
Roughly 57% of the state population is at least partially vaccinated.
