By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
While the number of new COVID-19 cases rose in Kentucky on Friday, the number of deaths and the state’s positivity rate both declined.
A total of 744 positive cases were reported to state public health officials, bringing Kentucky’s pandemic total to 432,220.
There were 11 counties with a dozen cases or more. Jefferson had 168, Fayette 54, Christian 25, Kenton 21, McCracken and Warren 18, Boone 16, Scott 15, Daviess 14, with Campbell and Pike having 12 each.
Four more deaths were reported by local health departments on Friday, with victims ranging in age from 73 to 86. Allen, Boyd, Boyle, and Marion counties each had one. This was down from 16 on Thursday. In addition, five more deaths were reported from the ongoing audit of death certificates dating back to last October. The total number of Kentuckians lost due to the coronavirus is now 6,223.
Kentucky’s positivity rate was 2.79%, based on a seven-day rolling average, a 0.02% drop from Thursday.
“It’s encouraging to see our positivity rate decrease again, but we need to work even harder to make sure our weekly case numbers start decreasing again as well,” said Gov. Beshear. “Every Kentuckian 16 and older should get their COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible. It’s fast, it’s safe, it’s easy and you could save a life by doing so, maybe even your own life.”
There are more than 500 centers open across the state.
There are currently 382 Kentuckians hospitalized with the coronavirus. Of them, 106 are in the ICU and 60 on a ventilator. All are slight increases from Thursday.
Looking beyond Kentucky’s borders, Johns Hopkins University reports there have now been 134,321,953 positive cases of COVID-19 around the world, with 2,907,968 deaths. In the United States, the totals are 31,064,031 confirmed cases and 560,855 deaths.
To see the state’s full daily COVID-19 report, which includes such information as the red zone counties and red zone recommendations, testing locations, vaccine sites and availability, the weekly White House Coronavirus Task Force reports for Kentucky, executive orders, revised travel guidance from the CDC and other information on the state’s pandemic response, go to kycovid19.ky.gov.
The governor’s next scheduled press briefing will be Monday afternoon at 4, although his office is expected to send out daily numbers throughout the weekend.
In Northern Kentucky, regional businesses and health leaders have joined together for its first Get Out The Vax weekend, offering free Lyft, TANK, Uber, SORTA rides and encouraging everyone who is eligible to get the vaccination (click here for more information). The goal is to have 80% of all those eligible in the region to have the vaccine by July 4th.
Check out this website to see where vaccines are available near you. The goal is 20,000 vaccinations this weekend.
Buildings across the region are lighting up ORANGE to remind people to get the vaccination. Look for the orange at the Florence Water tower, the Ft. Michell water tower, the Duke Energy Convention Center, Reds stadium, Paul Brown Stadium — and more.
The College of Informatics at Northern Kentucky University is one of the many regional landmarks lighting up orange.
