New cases of the coronavirus remain high in Kentucky; state reports 70 more Covid-19 deaths, including a 16-year-old

Ky. Dept. for Public Health map, adapted by Ky. Health News; for a larger version, click on it.

By Melissa Patrick
Kentucky Health News

The metrics used to measure the pandemic in Kentucky remain high, but have also remained fairly steady this week.

Kentucky reported 3,032 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, only the second time in more than two months the daily number has surpassed 3,000. The other day was Dec. 1; it dropped out of the seven-day rolling average, which declined by 40, to 2,329. Of today's cases, 26% are in people 18 and younger. 

Cases have been high all over the state. Lexington reported 172 new cases Tuesday, the most in a single day since Sept. 19, Christopher Leach reports for the Lexington Herald-Leader. In Louisville, 2,211 cases were reported last week, nearly double the previous week, reports Aprile Rickert of WFPL. 

The state infection rate is 47.46 daily cases per 100,000 residents, down from 48.24 Tuesday. Counties with more than double that rate were McLean, 110.2; Union, 105.3; Cumberland, 103.7; Powell, 102.9; and Owen, 97.0.

The New York Times ranks Kentucky's infection rate 20th among the states, reporting that the state has had a 56% increase in cases in the last 14 days. These numbers are the same as Tuesday. 

The state reported 70 more Covid-19 deaths, tied with Nov. 12 for the third highest daily total of the pandemic. That brought Kentucky's pandemic death toll to 11,418. One of today's victims was 16 years old, according to a Facebook post from Gov. Andy Beshear.

Death reports can be delayed for weeks due to the state's confirmation process; in the last 14 days, the state has reported an average of 44.5 deaths per day. A month ago, the 14-day average was 28.

The share of Kentuckians testing positive for the virus in the last seven days is 9.14%, slightly lower than Tuesday's rate of 9.17%. Testing demand remains high, with more than 104,000 tests reported Wednesday.

Kentucky hospitals reported 1,144 Covid-19 patients, 35 more than Tuesday; 312 in intensive care (up seven); and 179 on mechanical ventilation (up five). 

Nine of the state's 10 hospital readiness regions are using more than 80% of their intensive care unit beds, with eight of them above 90%. The Barren River region is highest, at 97.5%.