By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
There was plenty of good news Sunday regarding the COVID-19 pandemic in Kentucky, as new cases, deaths, and the positivity rate all dropped.
“Given Sunday’s number of new cases, 316, we have our tenth straight week of declining cases,” Gov. Andy Beshear said in a Facebook video. “Our positivity rate at 2.97% is the lowest since July 3. All of that is good news.”
Gov. Andy Beshear
There were only three counties that reported double digit numbers of new cases to state public health officials: Jefferson 67, Fayette 32, and Warren 13. That brings Kentucky’s total of positive cases to 420,828, since the first one was reported in Harrison County on March 6, 2020.
The number of new deaths on Sunday was 16. There were also two more added due to the ongoing audit of death certificates. That means Kentucky’s pandemic total is now 5,738.
Last week, the governor said that an audit found 604 more deaths between November and the end of January, when the surge was at its peak. All but 19 of them have been added to the overall total, and the remaining ones should appear over the next few days.
Beshear also noted this has been Kentucky’s second-best week for COVID-19 vaccinations.
“This week we have vaccinated 139,530 Kentuckians with their first shot of hope, and we now have 1,175,442 that have gotten at least one dose of their vaccine. That means 34% of Kentuckians 18 and up have now been at least partially vaccinated.”
Since the state’s vaccine week begins on Tuesdays, there is still more time to add to that near-record total.
More people will soon be able to seek vaccination appointments, according to Beshear.
Kentuckians 50 and up now eligible for vaccines
“Beginning Monday, we are asking vaccine providers to further open up priority group 1C to all Kentuckians 50 years and older. Remember, right now, 1C is Kentuckians 60 and older, those who have at risk conditions that make them more vulnerable to COVID as defined by the CDC, essential workers and some others. You can begin signing up right now for an appointment on Monday or later.”
In addition, he announced, “We are committed to opening up vaccine eligibility to everyone 16 years and older by April 12. That is the latest date we expect to open vaccine eligibility for everybody.”
The only negative numbers on Sunday: There were 463 Kentuckians hospitalized. Of them, 111 were in the ICU and 71 on a ventilator. All except the ICU figures were up from Saturday. That one remained the same.
To see the full daily COVID-19 report for Kentucky, which includes such information as the red zone counties and red zone recommendations, testing locations, vaccine information, the weekly White House Coronavirus Task Force reports for Kentucky, executive orders, and other information on the state’s pandemic response, go to kycovid19.ky.gov.
