LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky reported more new cases of COVID-19 last week than any other week in the pandemic, Gov. Andy Beshear said on Monday as he announced 2,619 new infections and 25 additional deaths.
“We continue to be hit harder and harder,” the governor said in the state Capitol. “This is the fastest growing thing we’ve seen.”
Last week the state confirmed more than 25,000 new cases of the virus. Over the weekend the state reported 7,299 more cases and 31 additional deaths. On Monday, the rate of Kentuckians testing positive reached 13.45%, up from 13.33% on Friday.
The number of virus-related hospitalizations of largely unvaccinated Kentuckians continues to balloon and set records, pushing some hospitals beyond capacity and straining already thin resources. Of the state’s 96 hospitals, 58 are reporting critical staffing shortages, he said. “The level of cases has been overwhelming our hospitals. We are living in a reality that some COVID patients that are sick are being treated in their cars when there isn’t room for them.”
On Monday, a record 2,198 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, including 21 kids under age 18 (an uptick of 69 people from Friday); a record 615 are in an ICU, including seven children (23 more than Friday); and a record 361 are relying on a ventilator to breathe, including two children (a dozen more than Friday).
Over the weekend, St. Claire Regional Medical Center in Morehead set up a surge tent in its parking lot outside the emergency department to both provide additional space for patients waiting to be treated and to treat patients if there are no beds available. On Monday morning, the hospital had no available intensive care unit beds for coronavirus or non-coronavirus patients.
