Kentucky set a record for the number of COVID-19-related deaths reported in a single day on Thursday.
Governor Andy Beshear announced that 54 people had died, including a 66-year old man from Kenton County. Northern Kentucky saw more than 500 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases on Thursday.
Confirmed positive cases of the coronavirus continue to plateau, however, Beshear said, and the positivity rate is still declining. It is now 8.45%.
“Our death report today is by far the most people that we’ve lost, and remember, that’s a reflection of where this virus was about three weeks ago, where it was trending,” said Beshear. “I hope we don’t have another day like this, ever. These are fifty-four families that need our help and compassion and green lights. They also need us to do better.”
The state’s previous record of 38 deaths was reported Dec. 2.
Meanwhile, the governor announced that more shipments of vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna would be arriving in Kentucky over the next two weeks for front-line health care workers and long-term care employees and residents.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) urged Kentuckians to get the vaccine when it becomes available to them.
“The only way to beat this pandemic is for us to follow the advice of our nation’s health care professionals: get vaccinated and continue to follow CDC guidelines,” McConnell said in a statement. “As a polio survivor, I know both the fear of a disease and the extraordinary promise of hope that vaccines bring. I truly hope all Kentuckians and Americans will heed this advice and accept this safe and effective vaccine.
“Because of government continuity requirements, I have been informed by the Office of the Attending Physician that I am eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, which I will accept in the coming days. Even with a vaccine, I will continue following CDC guidelines by wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, and washing my hands frequently. I would strongly encourage everyone to continue following these important guidelines. It is the only way we will defeat COVID-19 once and for all.”
Meanwhile, Beshear also acknowledged that the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to a previous court ruling supporting his order to close all schools, including private and religious ones, as COVID cases spiked weeks ago.
“The Supreme Court of the United States denied the Kentucky Attorney General (Daniel Cameron)’s attempt to overturn the ruling in the Sixth Circuit that said we were treating all schools during this dangerous period the same and taking steps to protect the lives of those around us,” said Beshear. “First, we didn’t close any school, we just moved them to online, virtual instruction, and I think that’s important, because suggesting a school is closed suggests that educators aren’t working with students to provide the best experience possible, and they are doing a heck of a job.
“The second thing is, in no way were religious schools treated any differently. We asked everybody to make the same sacrifices. Everybody. Every school. Not picking on anybody, just asking every school to do the exact same thing. And guess what? We see with that and other steps it stopped an exponential growth that was threatening our hospital capacity.
“The things we’ve put into place have worked. We still have a lot longer to go in battling this virus, but I hope when we know things will work, that in the future everybody will say ‘We’ll do our part. We don’t want to be an exception; we want to be part of the solution.’”
The state also offered new guidance for the upcoming holidays.
Today, Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Department for Public Health, highlighted the Kentucky Department for Public Health’s (KDPH) winter holiday guidance:
- Limit the size of gatherings to two households and no more than eight people;
- Wear a face covering properly, sanitize hands often and stay six feet apart from other people;
- Do not host or participate in any in-person gatherings if you or anyone in your household, or if any of the invited attendees: Have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and not met the criteria for when it is safe to be around others; have symptoms of COVID-19; are waiting for COVID-19 viral test results; may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days; or are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19;
- Limit travel; and
- Keep gatherings outdoors or in well-ventilated spaces as much as possible.
“Let’s not do Christmas in a way that would dishonor loving our neighbors as ourselves,” said Beshear.
Across Kentucky, there were 3,349 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases on Thursday. Northern Kentucky counties recorded 504 of those new cases.
On Thursdays, the state updates its official “red zone” list, noting counties where there is an average of 25 or more positive cases each day per 100,000 people (incidence rate). All Northern Kentucky counties remain in the red zone.
Kenton County recorded 178 newly confirmed cases on Thursday and has an incidence rate of 58.8.
There were 171 newly confirmed cases in Boone County which has an incidence rate of 68.9.
In Campbell County, there were 119 newly confirmed cases. The county has an incidence rate of 52.2.
Grant County reported 24 newly confirmed cases with an incidence rate of 66.1. In Pendleton County, there were 12 new cases reported with an incidence rate of 43.1.
Across the state, there are currently 1,817 people hospitalized with 431 in intensive care units and 254 on ventilators.
-Staff report