LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky health officials reported 2,946 new cases of the novel coronavirus Tuesday as the governor hailed the arrival of more COVID-19 vaccines to Kentucky hospitals.
Seven more hospitals across the state received shipments of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday, including Norton Hospital in Louisville, UK Healthcare in Lexington and Baptist Health in Corbin.
“The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are absolute game changers with 94 to 95% effectiveness and, it appears, minimal side effects,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said in a news release. “It gives us a view and a vision and a certainty of victory against this virus. We’ve just got to stay vigilant between now and when everybody can get it.”
Baptist Health said 35 of its frontline health care workers will get the shots starting at 10 a.m. Wednesday, while Norton said it also plans to start vaccinating its employees in phases beginning Wednesday.
The state's positivity rate, a measure of the proportion of tests returning positive, dropped slightly from 8.58% on Monday to 8.53% on Tuesday, according to a report from Kentucky Public Health.
The governor also reported 15 new deaths Tuesday, bring the state's death toll to 2,239 since the pandemic began in March. Among the victims Tuesday were five men from Jefferson County: ages, 61, 64, 78, 83 and 92.
As of Tuesday, 1,788 Kentuckians were hospitalized with COVID-19, while 438 patients were being treated in intensive care units and 246 were on ventilators, according to Kentucky Public Health.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up within weeks. The vast majority of people recover. Of Kentucky's 185,901 confirmed cases reported since March, more 32,000 have recovered, according to Kentucky Public Health.
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