Over 1,300 new COVID cases in KY. ICU, ventilator patients on the rise. Positivity rate takes a leap.

covid-19-concept-image-with-coronavirus-covid-19-text
covid-19-concept-image-with-coronavirus-covid-19-text

Gov. Andy Beshear on Thursday announced 1,330 new cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Kentucky over the previous 24 hours.

The new cases increase the state’s COVID-19 victim count to 92,299.

The counties recording the most COVID-19 cases on Thursday were Jefferson (272), Fayette (115), Nelson (37), Hardin (36), Warren (35) and Barren (33).

Health officials reported 17 new deaths, increasing the state’s death toll to 1,380 (1.5 percent fatality rate). Kentucky has now had 84 virus-related deaths reported since Friday (14 per day), and 63 since Monday (15.8 per day).

The victims lost to the virus on Thursday include two women, ages 69 and 74, from Allen County; a 73-year-old man from Fayette County; two women, ages 60 and 78, from Greenup County; a 65-year-old woman from Hancock County; a 64-year-old woman from Hardin County; a 52-year-old man from Henderson County; a 95-year-old woman and an 84-year-old man from Jefferson County; an 87-year-old man from Jessamine County; a 93-year-old woman from Knott County; a 77-year-old woman from Lee County; a 76-year-old man from McCracken County; a 63-year-old man from Nicholas County; an 87-year-old man from Rockcastle County; and a 96-year-old man from Scott County.

The rolling seven-day positivity rate jumped from 4.99 percent on Wednesday to 5.30 percent on Thursday.

Hospitalization numbers continue to steadily rise, as 800 patients are currently in a hospital, up six from Wednesday, with 214 people being treated in intensive care, up 11 from Wednesday. Health officials said 105 patients are on a ventilator, also up 11 from Wednesday.

Since the onset of the pandemic, 6,761 (7.3 percent) people have been hospitalized, with 1,658 (1.8 percent) patients admitted to an ICU.

At least 17,627 (19.3 percent) Kentuckians have recovered from the virus, and 1,868,134 COVID-19 tests have been administered in the state.

By Ken Howlett, News Director

Contact Ken at ken@k105.com