FRANKFORT, Ky. — Citing the surge and spread spurred by the omicron variant of COVID-19, Gov. Andy Beshear said Kentucky's positivity rate reached 14.46% on Wednesday, a record high previously set in early September.
What You Need To Know
- Kentucky's COVID-19 positivity rate reached a record high on Wednesday
- The 14.46% rate surpasses the previous record of 14.16% set in early September
- Kentucky also reported a staggering 5,530 new cases Wednesday
“Folks, it’s clear Kentucky is now in a surge from Omicron,” Beshear said in a statement on Twitter. “This is the most contagious variant we’ve seen. Protect yourself and others: get vaccinated and get a booster shot.”
The previous record high positivity rate was set Sept. 8, 2021 when the state recorded 14.16%, according to state health data.
The first case of the omicron variant in the Commonwealth was identified on Dec. 17. New COVID-19 cases in the the U.S. have soared to over 265,000 per day on average, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, and per the CDC, new cases in a single day topped 440,00 on Monday this week.
Kentucky also reported a staggering 5,530 new cases and 21 COVID-related deaths Wednesday. A total of 12,118 Kentuckians have died of the novel coronavirus.
Over 1,400 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Wednesday's report.