Lab reporting problem skews COVID numbers, vaccinations at almost 2.1 million

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – An error in the lab reporting system left Kentucky with abnormally low new COVID numbers Monday, and the state’s positivity rate also was down.

Those numbers come as the state continues it’s slow march toward 2.5 million vaccinated people.

Gov. Andy Beshear reported Monday 2,087,829 residents have gotten at least one dose of a COVID vaccine.

The counties with the highest vaccination rates continued to be Woodford, Franklin, Fayette, Boone and Campbell while the counties with the lowest rates still are Christian, Spencer, Ballard, Hickman and Clinton although each of those counties now has at least 20 percent of their residents with one dose.

Beshear reported 36 new cases Monday but acknowledged that was misleading because of the lab reporting problem. The positivity rate was 2.28 percent.

The governor also reported five deaths, which pushed the state total since March 6, 2020 to 7,103.

The hospitalization numbers fell to 283 with 92 in ICU and 57 on a ventilator.