State’s COVID positivitiy back above 9%, some other indicators down

Some indicators had been rising for 10 days, dip in Monday's report

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ/Press Release) – The state’s COVID positivity rate jumped back over 9% Monday as new cases numbers continued to rise again, sparking even more worries of another surge created by holiday gatherings.

“The message is pretty simple: Omicron is spreading faster than anything we’ve ever seen, and it looks like this might be one of the most contagious viruses in modern history,” said Gov. Beshear. “Unfortunately, some of the therapeutics won’t work on it. But what does work is being vaccinated and being boosted. If you haven’t gotten vaccinated yet, please consider doing it now.”

The Governor also reported today that, according to the company, Moderna’s COVID-19 booster dose should offer protection against the omicron variant. Lab tests revealed the half-dose booster shot increased by 37 times the level of antibodies able to fight omicron and a full-dose booster generated an 83-fold jump in antibodies. They did note that the full-dose booster had an increase in the usual side effects. The full-dose booster is recommended for people with weakened immune systems; the half-dose booster is more commonly administered. Similar results have been found in tests of Pfizer’s booster shots.

“So the message here again is, these vaccines are helping to prevent severe disease and we need everyone to go get a Pfizer or Moderna booster as soon as they’re eligible,” Gov. Beshear said.

In the its report Monday (click here), the state announced 1,215 cases which came after 1,531 new cases Sunday and 2,575 new cases Saturday. Gov. Andy Beshear said the state is not sure how many of the new cases are of the omicron variant but he speculated a growing number are in most counties. Of Monday’s new cases, 210 are in people 18 and under.

The new cases numbers followed 2,582 cases Friday, Thursday’s 2,507, Wednesday’s 2,913, 2,559 Tuesday, 1,089 last Monday, last Sunday’s 989, last Saturday’s 2,308, and 2,773 Dec. 10 and 2,736 Dec. 9.

The positivity rate reached 9.2% Monday, up from 8.94% Friday, 8.84% Thursday, 8.77% Wednesday, 8.79% Tuesday, and last Monday’s 8.78%. The last time it was above 9% was 9.14% on Dec. 8 and 9.17% on Dec. 7.

The state reported 32 deaths Monday, 29 Sunday and 32 Saturday. The state now has lost 11,847 people to COVID-related causes.

The state now has logged 831,003 cases of COVID since March 2020.

Hospitalizations tapered off a bit to 1,206, down from 1,255 Friday, 1,236 Thursday, 1,249 Wednesday, Tuesday’s 1,216, and Monday’s 1,253. The number still is above Dec. 10’s 1,192 and Dec. 9’s 1,167.

ICU admittance has not changed as much, sitting at 325 Monday, compared to 329 Friday, 315 Thursday, Wednesday’s 327, 316 Tuesday and last Monday, Dec. 10’s 319 and Dec. 9’s 314.

The number of those on a ventilator also was down, falling to 176 Monday, compared to 195 Friday, 193 Thursday, Wednesday’s 179, Tuesday’s 175, last Monday’s 181, Dec. 10’s 191, and Dec. 9’s 185.

As of Dec. 20, 2,749,942 Kentuckians have received at least one vaccine dose. Looking at boosters, 777,448 have received the extra vaccine shot.