Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced Wednesday another record for reported deaths in a single day due to COVID-19, along with the sixth highest total of daily cases since the pandemic began.
Beshear reported 3,601 new cases, including 379 cases found in children under 18. There were 37 additional deaths, bringing the state total to 1,980 deaths. The state’s positivity rate rose to 9.62%, the highest since March. Beshear asked Kentuckians to continue following preventative measures such as mask-wearing and social distancing.
“We simply cannot let Kentucky get to the point of no return,” Beshear said. “We are not surrendering, we are fighting back.”
Beshear also mentioned how the record for reported deaths in a single day has been broken on “back-to-back” days.
As of Wednesday, 1,768 Kentuckians were currently hospitalized for COVID-19, including 427 ICU cases and 234 currently on ventilators.
Counties with the highest number of coronavirus cases included Jefferson County with 686 cases, Fayette County with 219 cases, and Boone County with 145 cases.
Dr. Steven Stack, Kentucky’s Public Health Commissioner, said cases could be expected to increase during the holiday season, and he urged Kentuckians to take the pandemic more seriously.
“The nation is facing an alarming escalation of cases,” he said. “We have every reason to believe Thanksgiving could make the next weeks and the holidays leading to Christmas, New Years’, and other holidays associated with the season major spreading events.”
Murray-Calloway County Hospital in a Facebook post announced there were 21 currently hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in isolation. Its most recent test positivity rate for their testing site is 18.39%. The hospital said the “sustained regional surge” of coronavirus cases, as well as the anticipated impact of Thanksgiving travel, will continue to strain its healthcare system in the incoming month. MCCH also said it plans to continue its policy of no visitors.
