FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 21, 2021) – On Thursday, Gov. Andy Beshear announced the state’s highest-ever number of newly reported deaths, while also noting that the state’s positivity rate decreased.

“We still have too many cases, but it does appear we are seeing a decline from our highest week ever. Our positivity rate is down again. Far higher than we want, but this is a good trend,” said Gov. Beshear. “The hard part though about today’s report is it’s the most deaths we ever announced.”

Case Information
As of 4 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, Gov. Beshear reported the following COVID-19 numbers:

New cases today: 3,728
New deaths today: 58
Positivity rate: 11.05%
Total deaths: 3,301
Currently hospitalized: 1,604
Currently in ICU: 395
Currently on ventilator: 209

Top counties with the most positive cases today are: Jefferson, Fayette, Kenton, Boone, Hardin, Warren and Daviess. Each of these counties reported 125 or more new cases; Jefferson County alone reported 604.

To see a list of those reported lost to the virus today, click here.

The Governor noted Kentucky’s COVID-19 mortality rate (1%) is lower than the national (1.7%) and world (2.2%) averages.

“This I think is a testament to providing education to Kentuckians about this virus and about what to do if you contract it. And it’s a testament to our health care workers,” said Gov. Beshear. “You’ve done your commonwealth and your country proud.”

He also asked both Kentuckians and health care providers to be patient throughout the COVID-19 vaccine roll out.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 20, 2021) – On Wednesday, Gov. Andy Beshear said the state’s COVID-19 positivity rate has stayed below 12% for the fifth day in a row.

“While there is still so much pain and darkness in our commonwealth due to this pandemic, we are beginning to see the light ahead of us,” said Gov. Beshear. “This plateauing positivity rate is great news for Kentucky, especially as we continue to bring more of these live-saving vaccines to our people each week.”

Case Information
As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 20, Gov. Beshear reported the following COVID-19 numbers:

New cases today: 3,433
New deaths today: 49
Positivity rate: 11.29%
Total deaths: 3,243
Currently hospitalized: 1,678
Currently in ICU: 399
Currently on ventilator: 205

Top counties with the most positive cases today are: Jefferson, Fayette, Kenton, Boone, Warren and Daviess. Each of these counties reported 120 or more new cases.

To see a list of those reported lost to the virus today, click here.

Earlier today, the Governor also shared a message for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris shortly after their inauguration.

“Congratulations President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. I look forward to working with your administration to better the lives for our people and to help us overcome the challenges of COVID-19,” said Gov. Beshear. “Together we can make a better country – a better Kentucky – for all.”

More Information
To view the full daily report, incidence rate map, information on testing locations, vaccines, contact tracing, school reports and guidance, guidance for health care providers and the White House Coronavirus Task Force reports for Kentucky and more, visit kycovid19.ky.gov.

Kentuckians can listen to translated audio summaries (created in partnership with RadioLex) of the Governor’s Jan. 19 update on hospital funding, COVID-19 cases and vaccines, as well as five bills he vetoed here: English, French, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Russian and Spanish.

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Governor also vetoes unconstitutional bills that risk Kentucky lives during a pandemic

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 19, 2021) – On Tuesday, Gov. Andy Beshear updated Kentuckians on increased funding for Kentucky hospitals, COVID-19 cases and COVID-19 vaccines as well as bills he is vetoing because they are unconstitutional and a threat to Kentucky lives during this pandemic.

“I come to you today as our country passes a grim milestone of losing 400,000 Americans to the coronavirus. That is a staggering loss. It’s so large it’s hard to actually see it in your mind, to process how big it is,” said Gov. Beshear. “You could fill up both UK and UofL stadiums three-and-a-quarter times and that would represent the number of lives, the number of people that we have lost in America.”

The Governor said 332,450 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been received in Kentucky and 221,440 doses have been administered. Of the doses administered, 36,970 have been given to long-term care facility residents and staff.

More than 83,000 doses were administered from Jan. 10 to 16, about 16,000 more than were administered the week prior. Of the doses administered, 209,736 were first doses and 11,704 were booster doses.

The Governor said Kentucky is now administering the vaccine faster than the federal government is sending it new doses. The state expects to receive 56,175 new doses next week. Kentucky has been recognized as one of only nine states that have administered more than half of the doses they've received.

“Right now we can’t guarantee that every pharmacy across Kentucky gets vaccine, because we don’t have enough supply. That’s why today I formally requested from Operation Warp Speed that the federal government double the amount of vaccine we receive every week,” said Gov. Beshear. “We are proving we can get it out there. We are proving that we are efficient. We are proving that we can get it into people’s arms.”

“I am confident that in Kentucky if we had unlimited vaccine, we could easily immunize 200,000 to 250,000 people a week, if not more today, if we had enough vaccine,” said Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health. “We get about 54,000 doses per week approximately, and that’s all we can do.”

The Governor also announced Kentucky hospitals will receive an additional $800 million to $1 billion annually to help advance the quality of care of Medicaid members and provide a stable base for hospitals that will extend beyond the financial challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.