LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Reporting 2,953 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said the state is "beating back exponential growth of this virus" heading into Christmas.
"I hope you all enjoy a wonderful holiday, even if it looks a little different this year," the governor said in a news release. "Please be careful so we can hold on to the progress we’ve made."
Of the new cases reported Wednesday, 415 were confirmed in Jefferson County, Kentucky Public Health said in its daily report. Of Kentucky's 120 counties, 117 were reporting a "critical" spread of the virus as of Wednesday, according to data from the Department of Public Health.
The state's positivity rate, a measure of the proportion of tests returning positive, fell from 8.48% on Tuesday to 8.35% on Wednesday, according to the governor's office.
Beshear also announced 26 more deaths in which the virus was a contributing factor, bringing the state's death toll to 2,466 since the pandemic began. Among the victims Wednesday were an 82-year-old woman and two men, ages 66 and 90, from Jefferson County.
As of Wednesday, 1,644 Kentuckians were hospitalized with COVID-19, according to the governor. More than 400 patients were being treated for the virus in intensive care units, while 222 were on ventilators.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up within weeks. The vast majority of people recover. Of Kentucky's 250,280 confirmed cases reported since March, 35,478 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.
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