LEXINGTON, Ky. – Researchers at the University of Washington’s Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IMHE) predicted early in the COVID-19 pandemic Kentucky would hit the peak number of cases on April 21. Gov. Andy Beshear’s team predicted the peak would be in early May. As the surge of cases continues, when the virus finally hits its peak remains to be seen. 

The number of Kentuckians diagnosed with COVID-19, hospitalized with the disease, admitted to the ICU, and put on a ventilator because of complications from the virus continues to rise week over week. Beshear reported Tuesday, Nov. 24, during his COVID-19 briefing there were 2,690 cases in the Commonwealth, the second-highest Tuesday. As the cases surge, so does the number of people being hos,pitalized and subsequently those needing ventilators and those being placed in hospitals’ intensive care units (ICU).

Having enough ventilators and ICU beds for COVID-19 patients has been a problem in many areas across the country. There are currently 390 Kentuckians with COVID-19 in ICU. IHME data shows Kentucky would need 761 ICU beds at the peak of the virus, which is now expected in mid-December, and Beshear says Kentucky has 1,741 staffed ICU beds and 2,083 ICU beds overall.

IMHE data show Kentucky will need 332 ventilators to deal with the demand of patients when the virus hits its peak, and Beshear said in his more recent briefing that 207 patients are currently on a ventilator. Kentucky hospitals currently have 1,352 ventilators on hand, according to the IMHE.

Overall hospitalizations are dramatically increasing. The University of Kentucky announced Tuesday, Nov. 24, in a press release that administrators told staff late Monday night the Albert B. Chandler Hospital would be closing five of its 32 operating rooms to make way for more coronavirus patients and to decrease overall hospital admissions.

There were 1,658 people hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Tuesday, Nov. 24, up 85 from Monday, Nov. 23, and Kentucky Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack said in early November as community spread climbs, so will the number of infected healthcare workers.

“One of the concerns we have for hospitals is not that we will first run out of bed space but that we may not have enough healthcare workers to staff all those beds,” he said. “If we keep spreading infection more easily, more of the people we rely on to keep us safe and to treat us when we’re sick will themselves be sick and unavailable.”