Gov. Beshear reports 2,426 new COVID cases Monday; hospitals still overwhelmed

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

As of Monday, eight of Kentucky’s 10 hospital regions are on the highest alert because of dangerously high capacity levels.

The two that are not in the red, cover much of eastern and northeastern Kentucky. Hospitals in these regions include St. Claire, King’s Daughters and Pikeville Medical Centers.

Right now, nearly 70% of Kentucky’s hospitals are facing critical staffing shortages. Commissioner for Public Health Dr. Steven Stack said Kentucky’s hospitals are on the brink of collapse. The governor said this means patients coming in for other conditions, such as heart attacks, essential surgeries, are facing long waits to get a bed and see a doctor.

Eighteen months into this pandemic, this is nothing like we’ve seen before.

“I was so proud, so proud during this pandemic we’d never been at this point. Yet, here we are, given that we don’t have the same tools we did before, that we can’t require masking. But you know what, we can keep ourselves from going any further,” Gov. Beshear said.

The governor said his office will keep looking toward FEMA to see what additional help they can get in terms of strike teams and other medical assistance. However, the need in the south after Hurricane Ida could have an impact on how fast Kentucky gets that help.

The governor released new COVID-19 numbers from the weekend. On Saturday there were 4,470 new cases and 3,111 new cases on Sunday. Governor Beshear reported 2,426 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, bringing the state total to 630,299 cases. The governor says the state is seeing a 13.70% positivity rate. Of Monday’s new cases, 665 are in kids 18 or younger.

There were 29 new COVID-19 related deaths reported on Monday. That brings the state total to 8,071.

As of Monday, 2,446 people are hospitalized for COVID-19 related reasons, 646 are in the ICU, and 411 are on ventilators.

Beshear said the age group with the highest incidence rate is kids ages 10-19.

The governor said 2,618,081 Kentuckians have gotten at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Clinton County is the only Kentucky county not in the red on Monday’s COVID-19 incidence rate map.

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