State’s COVID positivity rate down almost a percent a day

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – Kentucky’s COVID positivity rate has dropped significantly this week, falling almost another full percent Thursday. And while case numbers continue to fall slowly, the death numbers remain high, as is usually the case as verification lags behind the actual surge in cases.

In its daily report Thursday (click here), the state reported 4,867 new cases, 37 deaths and a positivity rate of 15.19% which was down from Wednesday’s 16.19%, Tuesday’s 17.16% and Monday’s 17.93%.

The 37 deaths increased the total number of state residents lost to COVID-related causes to 13,519.

The state now has recorded 1,254,101 cases almost 24 months into the pandemic.

The other three key indicators — hospitalizations, patients in ICU, and patients on ventilators — to ebb and flow although overall, they are falling. Thursday’s 1,634 people in the hospital was down from Tuesday’s 1,765, Monday’s 1,750, and 2,117 last Thursday. The 302 people in intensive care was down from 322 Monday and Tuesday and 394 last Thursday, and the 148 people on a ventilator was down from 167 Tuesday and 162 Monday and 195 last Thursday.