Kentucky’s seven-day rolling average of new COVID-19 cases hit a record high Friday with Governor Andy Beshear saying the state is in a plateau. He added more time will be needed to see a decline in cases.
The state reported 679 new cases Friday, with the seven-day rolling average of 670 a new high. Kentucky has reported over 8,300 cases this month compared to 4,600 in the first two weeks of July. The state is averaging over 1,500 more daily tests in August compared to July.
The state’s ICU census is 147, which is 11 more than last Friday. Governor Andy Beshear said 97 people are on ventilators. The state has over 1,300 ventilators available in hospitals.
Beshear also said 77 of the new cases Friday involved kids 18 and under. This comes as schools districts around the state are weighing in on whether to resume in-person classes ahead of the governor’s September 28 recommended date. School officials in Barren and Hardin Counties have said this week they are leaning toward resuming in-person classes before next month. The governor singled those counties out in his press briefing, saying there were three new cases in each of those counties and encouraged schools to adhere to his recommendation.
The state’s positivity rate is 5.6-percent for a third straight day. 35-percent of Friday’s new cases came from Louisville and Lexington.
The state reported eight deaths Friday ranging in age from 63 in Christian County to 92 in Franklin County. Kentucky has seen 69 COVID-related deaths this month compared to 72 in the first two weeks of July.
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