State’s positivity rate drops almost a full percent

Number of ICU cases below 400 for first time in weeks

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – The state’s COVID positivity rate dropped almost a full percent Wednesday sparking hopes the decline in COVID cases across the state may be picking up.

In its daily report (click here) Wednesday, the state listed 8,044 new cases, 1,857 of which are in people 18 and under, 34 new deaths and a positivity rate of 21.99%, which was down from 22.97% Tuesday. It was above 30% just two weeks ago.

The deaths increased the total number of state residents lost to COVID-related causes to 13,216. The state now has recorded 1,220,703 cases almost 23 months into the pandemic.

The other three key indicators — hospitalizations, patients in ICU, and patients on ventilators — continued to be relatively stable. The report listed 2,142 people in the hospital, compared to 2,136 Tuesday and 2,124 Monday, but down from 2,345 Friday, 2,443 Thursday, and 2,438 last Wednesday. The number of people in intensive care was down to 399 from 416 Tuesday and well below last Tuesday’s 443, and the number of people on a ventilator was down 200 Wednesday from 208 Tuesday and last Tuesday’s 244.

The Governor said that Pfizer and BioNTech are requesting emergency use authorization for their two-dose COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 6 months up to 5 years. The FDA’s advisory committee will meet February 15 to discuss the submission.