Over 1,300 new COVID cases in KY, 16 new deaths. Hospitalizations, ICU admissions on the rise.

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covid-19-logo-03-18

On Tuesday, Gov. Andy Beshear reported 1,312 new cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Kentucky since Monday afternoon, the fourth highest single-day total since the onset of the pandemic (and the most ever for a Tuesday).

The new cases increase the state’s COVID-19 victim count to 89,544.

Officials said 144 of the new cases are children 18 and younger.

“Our cases continue to go up, our hospitalization continues to go up and we continue to see more people in the ICU,” Beshear said. “And if we can’t get everybody’s buy in and we can’t get more people doing the right thing each and every day, my concern is that we are going to experience a real surge that we must avoid. But if we’re going to face it, I want you to know that we are spending our time getting prepared.”

Beshear, holding his update virtually, reported 16 new deaths, elevating the commonwealth’s coronavirus death toll to 1,342 (1.5 percent fatality rate).

The new deaths include a 56-year-old woman from Bell County; a 73-year-old man from Boyd County; an 86-year-old woman from Daviess County; two women, ages 96 and 97, from Fayette County; an 82-year-old woman from Hopkins County; four women, ages 67, 74, 76 and 80, from Jefferson County; a 92-year-old woman and three men, ages 64, 94 and 96, from Jessamine County; an 89-year-old man from Marshall County; and a 78-year-old man from Muhlenberg County.

The state’s rolling seven-day positivity rate continues to climb, as the metric rose from 4.97 percent on Monday to 5.08 percent on Tuesday, the first day the rate has risen above five percent since August 25.

Likewise, the number of hospitalizations continues to rise, as 776 patients are currently in a hospital, up 12 people from Monday, with 202 victims being treated in ICUs, also up 12 from Monday. Ninety-six patients are on ventilators, up seven from Monday.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, 6,665 (7.4 percent) people have been admitted to a hospital, with 1,638 (1.8 percent) patients treated in intensive care.

At least 17,402 (19.4 percent) Kentuckians have recovered from the virus, and 1,828,431 COVID-19 tests have been administered in the state.

By Ken Howlett, News Director

Contact Ken at ken@k105.com