A nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism

State ends February note — seventh consecutive week of declining cases; ‘going in right direction’


By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today

Kentucky is ending the month of February on a positive note regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Andy Beshear said on Sunday.



In a video posted to Facebook, the governor said, “We have had our seventh consecutive week of declining cases. This is good news, it’s the direction we want to go in.”



Gov. Beshear

On Sunday there were 675 new cases reported to state public health officials, a sizeable decrease from Saturday’s 1,075. That brings to 404,762 the total number of positive cases in Kentucky, since the first one was reported on March 6, 2020.



Jefferson County was the only one with more than 100 cases, reporting 180. The rest of the top ten counties were: Fayette 55; Pulaski 31; Kenton 24; Daviess 16; Boone and Madison had 15 each; while Bullitt, Jessamine, and Scott each had 11.



The state’s positivity rate, which is based on a seven-day rolling average, ended a week-long decline on Saturday, rising 0.04% to 5.56%. However, the drop resumed on Sunday, according to Beshear. “The positivity rate, 5.02%, is the lowest in at least four months, also a good sign.”



While there were 12 more COVID-19 related deaths on Sunday, the governor noted that is lower than the past few days. There have now been 4,632 Kentuckians lost to the coronavirus.



Statewide, 732 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19. Of them, 187 are in Intensive Care Units, and 118 on a ventilator. This compares to Saturday’s numbers when there were 765 in the hospital, 209 in the ICU and 87 on a ventilator, which was the first time in several months there were less than 100 on a ventilator.



Another piece of news from the Governor, “While we are not through our vaccination week, which begins on Tuesday, we’ve already vaccinated more individuals with a couple days to go, than ever before. We have put the first dose in at least 91,191 Kentuckians. That’s going to continue to increase, to set a really good record that we hope to shatter again in the future.”



As of Sunday, at least 687,823 Kentuckians have had their first dose, he said. “We are getting these vaccines out faster than the federal government can get them to us, and we’ll get them to you. Just make sure that you are patient, and don’t stop doing what is protecting us right now: masking up, engaging in social distancing, and reducing your contacts.



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, click here.



Gov. Beshear’s next scheduled live press briefing on COVID-19 is expected to take place Monday afternoon at 4.


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