In the first COVID-19 update of the new year, Governor Andy Beshear announced over 8,700 new cases and 75 deaths from the last three days.
The state reported 4,145 cases Thursday, 3,124 on Friday, and 1,470 Saturday. The state’s positivity rate rose to near 10.8-percent.
Beshear again attributed the state’s elevated positivity rate to some labs and public testing sites being closed over the holiday, which increases the percentage of tests conducted in medical settings where patients are experiencing symptoms and are suspect they have the virus. He added with more vaccines arriving this year, we have a new sense of hope, but right now, we all must do our part to stop this virus, including wearing a mask and avoiding large in-person gatherings.
In deaths, the Commonwealth confirmed 39 Thursday, 14 on Friday, and 22 Saturday. The deaths included a 62, 68, and a 76-year-old male and a 76-year-old female, all from Hopkins County.
