Kentucky state Capitol dome

The dome of the Kentucky state Capitol is lit green to remember those who have died of COVID-19 and their families.

 Eric Crawford

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- For the seventh consecutive week, Kentucky has seen a decline in new COVID-19 case, Gov. Andy Beshear said Sunday. 

The state's positivity rate, which measures the proportion of COVID-19 tests returning positive, also dropped from 5.56% on Saturday to 5.02% on Sunday — the lowest it has been in at least four months, according to the governor. The rate is also on the cusp of hitting the World Health Organization's recommended threshold of 5% or lower for states to reopen.

"This is good news," Beshear said in a video shared to social media. "This is the direction we want to go in."

Health officials confirmed 675 new coronavirus cases Sunday alongside 12 more deaths in which it was a contributing factor, according to a report from Kentucky Public Health. Of the cases, 180 were confirmed in Jefferson County, data show. 

As of Sunday, 732 Kentuckians were hospitalized with COVID-19, according to state health officials, while 187 were being treated for the virus in intensive care units. More than 110 patients were on ventilators.

The state did not provide the ages, genders or home counties of the 12 COVID-19 victims announced Sunday. More than half of the 4,637 Kentuckians who have died from the coronavirus were age 70 or older, according to data from Kentucky Public Health.

According to the state's vaccination dashboard, 687,823 Kentuckians as of Sunday had received the first dose of the two-shot coronavirus immunization. Since Tuesday, Feb. 23, Beshear said the state has administered the first dose to more than 91,191 residents — a new weekly record. 

"We are getting these vaccines out faster than the federal government can get them to us, and we'll get them to you," Beshear said in the video. "Just make sure that you're patient and don't stop doing what is protecting us right now: masking up, engaging in social distancing, reducing your contact. 

"We can see the end. The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter," he added. "The directions that we're headed are good, but we can't quit until we get the job done."

For most people, COVID-19 causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up within weeks. The vast majority of people recover. Of Kentucky's 404,622 confirmed cases reported since March, at least 47,544 have recovered, according to Kentucky Public Health.

But for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the virus can cause severe symptoms and be fatal.

To find a COVID-19 testing location near you, click here. To find out if you're eligible for a vaccine and for more information on Kentucky's vaccination process, click here.

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