Coronavirus cases remain high in Kentucky, but other measures of the pandemic, including Covid-19 hospitalizations, decline

Kentucky Health News graph; click it to enlarge.

By Melissa Patrick
Kentucky Health News

Coronavirus cases remain at near-record highs in Kentucky, but Covid-19 hospitalizations and the seven-day positive-test and infection rates appear to be in a slight decline. 

Kentucky reported 15,822 new coronavirus cases Friday, its second highest daily number. But the seven-day average fell to 12,295, because the record high was eight days ago. 

The share of Kentuckians testing positive for the virus in the past seven days is 30.5%, and has fallen slowly since setting a record of 32.65% six days ago.

Kentucky hospitals reported 2,453 Covid-19 patients, down 55 from Thursday, a drop of 2.2%, which is the largest one-day drop since Oct. 20. Hospitals reported 446 Covid-19 patients in intensive care, down 27, or 5.7%, and 254 Covid-19 patients on mechanical ventilation, down 3, or 1.9%. 

Nine of the state's 10 hospital regions continue to use at least 80% of their intensive-care beds, with four above 90%. The state's daily report says 86% of ICU beds are in use, with 208 beds available.

The state's seven-day infection rate is 222.9 daily cases per 100,000 residents. Ten Kentucky counties have a rate above 300 per 100,000: McCracken, 389.4; Hopkins, 376.6; Muhlenberg, 354.1; Clay, 343.1; Whitley, 340.4; Mercer, 334.8; Daviess, 331.4; Harrison, 326.8; Hardin, 320.3; and Powell, 304.

The New York Times ranks Kentucky's infection rate fourth among the states, and reports that Hopkins County has the nation's 14th highest rate, with Boyd and McCracken counties Nos. 20 and 21. The rankings are based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which uses different calculation methods than the state.

The state reported 34 more Covid-19 deaths, bringing Kentucky's pandemic death toll to 12,890. Gov. Andy Beshear reported on Facebook that one of today's deaths was 38-years-old. 

The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department said Fayette County's Covid-19 deaths now exceed 500. "We mourn the loss of these individuals, and remain steadfast in following public health guidelines by focusing on vaccines and boosters, wearing protective face coverings, and maintaining social distance in public," Mayor Linda Gorton said in a press release.