LEXINGTON, Ky. — Gov. Andy Beshear announced 5,457 new cases of COVID-19 in Kentucky on Thursday — the second-highest single-day total since the beginning of the pandemic.
He also reported another 45 deaths from the virus, most of which occurred in the latter half of August. “For much of this pandemic, some folks thought this is something that only hurts, sickens or kills older Kentuckians and Americans,” he said Thursday afternoon in a short video. Thursday’s announced deaths include a 27-year-old woman in Pike County; a 36-year-old woman in Bell County; a 40-year-old woman in Lee County, a 46-year-old man in Marshall County and a 47-year-old woman in Harlan County.
Of Thursday’s new cases, 32.5% are in children 18 and younger. The statewide positivity rate, dropping slightly for the second day in a row, was 13.29%, down from 13.35% on Wednesday. Roughly 57% of Kentuckians are at least partially vaccinated.
There are a record 2,315 people hospitalized with coronavirus — 48 more than were hospitalized on Wednesday — while 620 are in intensive care (24 fewer) and 408 are relying on a ventilator to breathe (two fewer). According to the Kentucky Department for Public Health, 87% of the state’s 1,523 ICU beds are currently occupied. Just over 70% of the 13,439 inpatient beds are full.
Beshear again begged people to try to compel unvaccinated family and friends to get the shot.
“Have that uncomfortable conversation. It’s time we got really serious,” he said. “It’s the most dangerous this has ever been, especially to the unvaccinated.”
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