Positivity nears 3%, new cases, hospitalizations up

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – The state’s COVID positivity rate crept closer to 3% Thursday and new cases numbers are up over last week.

For the first time, state leaders used the numbers to urge people to get vaccinated to avoid the state seeing some of the hotspots other states, including nearby states like Missouri and Arkansas, are beginning to see as the highly contagious variants spread.

According to the state’s daily report Thursday, the state’s COVID positivity rate was 2.92%, up from 2.87% Wednesday and from less than 2 percent a week ago.

Meanwhile Gov. Andy Beshear reported Wednesday 2,212,708 Kentuckians have received at least one vaccine shot. That was up only about 1,400 from Wednesday’s number.

According to the daily report, the state still has no ‘red’ counties but has eight in the ‘orange’ category, the same as Wednesday although the counties switched in some cases.

Most counties are still in yellow although the number in “green’ continues to grow.

The state reported three new coronavirus-related deaths, bringing Kentucky’s total death toll since the pandemic to 7,253.

The state also reported 337 new cases with 67 of those in people under 18.

The hospitalization numbers, which had been down most of last week, bumped up slightly with 241 people hospitalized, up from 214 Wednesday, 64 people in ICU, down from 66 Wednesday, and 32 on a ventilator, down one from Wednesday.

The full vaccination and COVID-19 report are updated on KyCovid19.Ky.gov .