New coronavirus cases in Kentucky continue slow decline, but hospitals' Covid-19 numbers are still going up, and ICUs are filling

Ky. Cabinet for Health and Family Services table, adapted by Ky. Health News; click on it to enlarge.

By Melissa Patrick
Kentucky Health News

For the eighth consecutive day, Kentucky saw a slight decline in coronavirus cases. However, hospital numbers are up, and intensive-care units are filling.    

Kentucky reported 2,913 more coronavirus cases Wednesday, lowering the seven-day average by 17, to 2,195. Of those, 26 percent are in people younger than 18. 

The share of Kentuckians testing positive for the virus in the past seven days is 8.77%, virtually the same it has been since Monday. 

Hospitals reported 1,249 Covid-19 patients, an increase of 33 from Tuesday; 327 of them in intensive care (up 11); and 178 of them on mechanical ventilation (up three). 

Nine of the state's 10 hospital readiness regions are using at least 80% of their intensive care unit capacity, with eight above 90%. Northern Kentucky remains at 100% capacity, according to the state's daily report.

Kentucky's daily infection rate over the last seven days is 43.83 cases per 100,000 residents, virtually the same as Tuesday. Counties with rates more than double that rate were Robertson, 196.5; Menifee, 156.3; Wolfe, 123.8; Lewis, 107.6 and Trimble, 89.4. The New York Times ranks Kentucky's infection rate 21st among states. 

The state reported 17 more Covid-19 deaths, bringing the pandemic death toll to 11,693. Nationwide, more than 800,000 Americans died of Covid-19, the highest recorded toll of any nation in the global pandemic, reports the BBC: "The last 100,000 deaths came in just the past 11 weeks, a quicker pace than any at other point aside from last winter's surge."