Gov. Beshear Provides Update on COVID-19

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Dec. 26, 2020) – As vaccines continue to arrive, on Saturday, Gov. Andy Beshear updated Kentuckians on COVID-19 case numbers and said he hoped all families had a safe and happy Christmas.

“The number of deaths we’re announcing today is truly heartbreaking – another wake-up call. But one piece of good news is that our positivity rate continues to decline. It was even under eight percent on Christmas Day,” said Gov. Beshear. “That means our sacrifices are making a difference. Thank you for doing the holidays differently this year to protect each other. Let’s keep working hard so we don’t have more days like today where we have to announce we’ve lost so many of our neighbors, family and friends.”

Thursday’s case numbers include the state’s second-highest number of reported deaths ever.

“Many Kentuckians found new ways to celebrate Christmas yesterday, including limiting their in-person interactions with others,” said Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health. “Your sacrifices are appreciated and a gift of kindness to your loved ones and your neighbors as we keep this dreadful disease from spreading more rapidly. Please make sure you’re familiar with symptoms of this virus, and if you aren’t feeling well, please stay home until you are better or see a health care provider.”

Saturday Case Information
As of 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 26, Gov. Beshear reported the following COVID-19 numbers:

• New cases today: 764
• New deaths today: 4
• Positivity rate: 8.04%
• Total deaths: 2,534
• Currently hospitalized: 1,511
• Currently in ICU: 396
• Currently on ventilator: 237

Top counties with the most positive cases Saturday are: Jefferson and Fayette. Each of these counties reported 90 or more new cases; Jefferson County alone reported 228.

Those reported lost to the virus Saturday include a 71-year-old woman from Hart County; a 99-year-old man from Jefferson County; a 94-year-old woman from Monroe County; and a 76-year-old man from Simpson County.

Friday Case Information
As of 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 25, Gov. Beshear reported the following COVID-19 numbers:

• New cases: 1,803
• New deaths: 11
• Positivity rate: 7.95%
• Total deaths: 2,530
• Hospitalized: 1,601
• In ICU: 404
• On ventilator: 203

Top counties with the most positive cases Friday were: Jefferson, Fayette and Kenton. Each of these counties reported 80 or more new cases; Jefferson County alone reported 428.

Those reported lost to the virus Friday included an 84-year-old man from Anderson County; a 71-year-old woman from Barren County; a 60-year-old man from Cumberland County; a 71-year-old woman from Franklin County; a 71-year-old woman from Hopkins County; an 87-year-old woman from Logan County; an 81-year-old woman from Madison County; two men, ages 62 and 91, from McCracken County; a 58-year-old man from Monroe County; and an 85-year-old woman from Pulaski County.

Thursday Case Information
As of 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 24, Gov. Beshear reported the following COVID-19 numbers:

• New cases: 2,742
• New deaths: 53
• Positivity rate: 8.2%
• Total deaths: 2,519
• Hospitalized: 1,689
• In ICU: 402
• On ventilator: 206

Top counties with the most positive cases Thursday were: Jefferson, Warren and Fayette. Each of these counties reported 100 or more new cases; Jefferson County alone reported 377.

Those reported lost to the virus Thursday included a 67-year-old man from Boyle County; a 72-year-old woman from Breckinridge County; two men, ages 55 and 74, from Bullitt County; a 77-year-old man from Campbell County; two women, ages 90 and 91, and an 89-year-old man from Christian County; a 71-year-old woman from Cumberland County; two men, ages 63 and 65, from Daviess County; an 82-year-old woman from Floyd County; an 83-year-old man from Franklin County; an 84-year-old woman from Graves County; a 94-year-old woman and an 87-year-old man from Grayson County; a 100-year-old woman from Hardin County; four women, ages 67, 74, 92 and 94, and two men, ages 74 and 77, from Hopkins County; an 85-year-old woman and three men, ages 70, 80 and 90, from Jefferson County; two men, ages 74 and 89, from Jessamine County; three women, ages 64, 68 and 73, from Madison County; a 69-year-old woman from Mason County; two men, ages 73 and 77, from Monroe County; two women, ages 77 and 90, from Muhlenberg County; a 77-year-old woman from Ohio County; a 91-year-old man from Owen County; three women, ages 52, 87 and 90, and two men, ages 90 and 91, from Pulaski County; a 66-year-old woman from Rockcastle County; three women, ages 86, 87 and 90, from Russell County; two women, ages 82 and 84, from Taylor County; an 86-year-old man from Trigg County; a 73-year-old man from Warren County; and a 65-year-old woman from Wolfe County.

More Information
To view the full daily report, incidence rate map, testing locations, long-term care and other congregate facilities update, school reports and guidance, red zone counties, red zone recommendations, the White House Coronavirus Task Force reports for Kentucky and other key guidance visit, kycovid19.ky.gov.

Kentuckians can listen to recorded summaries of the Governor’s Dec. 22 press conference (created in partnership with RadioLex) here: Bosnian, Chinese, French, Japanese, Korean and Spanish.

See all of the Kentucky Department for Public Health’s winter holiday guidance here: English full guidance, one-pager and single slide and Spanish full guidance, one-pager and single slide.

Kentuckians can also listen to recorded PSAs about the holiday guidance (created in partnership with RadioLex) here: Bosnian, Chinese, English, French, Japanese, Korean, Persian and Spanish.

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