Number of COVID-19 cases in Ky. passes 50K; positivity rate now 4.53 percent

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WKYT) - Governor Andy Beshear has provided an update on COVID-19 cases in Kentucky.

Gov. Beshear reported 906 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, bringing up the state total to 50,885 cases. Thursday marks the third-highest single-day total of cases. The governor says the state is seeing a 4.53 percent positivity rate.

“COVID is a once-in-100-year pandemic and we’ve got to take it seriously. We’re seeing a rough week this week,” said Gov. Beshear. “While our positivity rate is going down, we’re still seeing some high numbers. Today we’re reporting 906 new cases of COVID-19. That’s our third-highest total since the very beginning.”

Of Thursday’s new cases, the governor says 124 are in kids 18 or younger. The youngest was a two-month-old baby from Henderson County.

There were 10 reported COVID-19 deaths on Thursday. The state death total is now 976.

The deaths reported Thursday include a 52-year-old man from Barren County; five women, ages 60, 72, 72, 79 and 85, and two men, ages 70 and 73, from Jefferson County; and an 88-year-old woman and 76-year-old man from Lewis County.

“We have people in their 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s on today’s report,” said Gov. Beshear. “These families don’t have the option of being tired. We can’t be tired either. We’ve got to be there for them.”

As of Thursday, 568 people are hospitalized for COVID-19 related reasons and 132 are in the ICU. There have been at least 902,446 COVID-19 tests performed in the state, and at least 10,547 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus.

The governor gave his daily update on COVID-19 cases in schools. There are 273 active cases among students in K-12 schools, and 102 active cases among faculty and staff.

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