Kentucky reported nearly 1,899 new COVID-19 cases and 52 more virus-related deaths Wednesday, even as the rate of residents testing positive for the coronavirus dropped to 6.83%.
The new virus cases included 499 among people ages 18 and younger.
The latest deaths included a 35-year-old Kentuckian, Gov. Andy Beshear said.
The state’s death toll from the virus has reached at least 9,477.
The governor lamented that virus-related deaths remain far too high, even as COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and admissions to intensive care units have dropped.
All three Northern Kentucky counties are still in the red zone. Kenton County reported 74 new cases for a total of 23,346. Boone County reported 56 new cases for a total of 20,001. Campbell County reported 45 new cases for a total of 12,268.
A total of 243 people have died in Kenton County, 181 in Boone and 92 in Campbell.
The governor this week urged local school boards to keep requiring students and employees to wear masks at school. He warned that relaxing the masking requirements would jeopardize recent declines in statewide COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
The state reported 1,115 virus patients hospitalized in Kentucky, including 321 in ICUs and 207 on ventilators.
