LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Health officials on Saturday reported 426 new COVID-19 cases in Kentucky and seven more deaths in which the virus was a contributing factor.
Saturday's update brings Kentucky to 342,947 confirmed COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, according to a report from Kentucky Public Health. The virus has been a contributing factor in the deaths of at least 6,705 Kentuckians. Of the deaths reported Saturday, two were linked to the state's ongoing audit of death certificates.
As of Saturday, 1,957,642 Kentuckians had received at least the first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, Gov. Andy Beshear said in a tweet. For more information on how to sign up for a vaccination appointment, click here.
Kentucky's positivity rate, which measures the proportion of COVID-19 tests returning positive, rose slightly from 2.62% on Friday to 2.63% on Saturday, according to Kentucky Public Health. To find a COVID-19 testing location near you, click here.
Data show 357 Kentuckians hospitalized with COVID-19 on Saturday and 102 patients being treated in intensive care units. Fifty virus patients were on ventilators.
For most people, COVID-19 causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up within weeks. The vast majority of people recover. Of the state's confirmed cases reported since March 2020, at least 52,518 have recovered, according to Kentucky Public Health.
But for others, especially older adults and those with existing health problems, the virus can cause severe symptoms and be fatal.
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