LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The number of COVID-19 cases in Kentucky have doubled this week.
On Monday, the state reported 1,052 new confirmed cases of COVID-19. On Wednesday, the number of cases jumped to 2,583, its highest daily number of new COVID-19 cases since early February.
The number of confirmed cases in the state Thursday dropped slightly to 2,217.
During a news conference, Gov. Andy Beshear implored Kentuckians to wear masks because of the statewide spread of the highly contagious delta variant. More than 80 of Kentucky’s 120 counties are reported to be in the red zone — signaling a severe level of community spread, according to state guidelines.
Dr. Steven Stack, Kentucky’s public health commissioner, said that more than 90% of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations were among partially vaccinated or unvaccinated Kentuckians.
Roughly 900 Kentuckians are hospitalized because of COVID-19, and 108 are on ventilators.
The number of children infected with the virus also has risen sharply. In July, 2,092 cases were reported in children under 12, up from 534 in June.
“This virus is dangerous and becoming more dangerous the longer it has the opportunity to spread rampantly,” Stack said.
Kentucky reported 2,217 coronavirus cases and four virus-related deaths Thursday. The state’s positivity rate is 10.27%.
Thursday also marked the third day in a row that Indiana reported more than 1,500 new cases. State health officials reported 1,899 new cases in the Hoosier state on Thursday. Indiana's positivity rate stood at 8.2%.
Copyright 2021 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
