LEXINGTON, Ky. — Gov. Andy Beshear announced 54 more deaths from COVID-19 in Kentucky on Thursday, setting a single-day record that is 17 more than the previous high of 37 and raising the death toll to 2,316.
"This is by far the most people we've lost. Remember, that's a reflection of where this virus was about three weeks ago," he said.
Beshear said there were 3,349 new cases of COVID-19, increasing the statewide case total to 234,021 as the state readies to receive more coronavirus vaccine doses next week.
Kentucky's infection curve continues to plateau, Beshear said, quoting from the White House's weekly report.
"Despite the nation escalating dangerously, we have seen a stability in new cases and a decrease in test positivity," Beshear said. "That means we are doing better while the rest of the nation is doing worse."
Despite that stability, a record 1,817 people are currently hospitalized with the virus (24 more than Wednesday), including 431 in intensive care (29 fewer) and 239 on ventilators (15 more).
The rate of Kentuckians testing positive remained relatively flat on Thursday at 8.45% — the lowest rate since Nov. 12.
Beshear said Kentucky will get 27,300 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine during the week of Christmas, roughly 11,000 fewer doses than the state expected.
"This is lower than we expected based on the first allocation," he said.
Over the next two weeks, the commonwealth is expecting 110,500 doses of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine, though it has not yet received emergency authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
