‘We are in a dangerous place:’ Kentucky records 10k new COVID-19 cases in 48 hours

FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX19) - Kentucky has recorded more than 10,000 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the last 48 hours, by far the largest two-day increase of the pandemic.

Wednesday’s report contained 5,742 newly confirmed cases; Thursday’s report contains 4,911.

The commonwealth’s positivity rate is 11.9 percent, the highest since May 5.

Thirty-seven new virus-related deaths were also reported Thursday after 34 were reported Wednesday.

Before the holidays, declining case numbers and positivity rates provided some optimism Kentucky had left its winter case surge behind.

The spiking positivity rate as well as large case increases Monday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week have largely put that optimism to bed.

As January progresses, the likelihood of sampling bias in the positivity rate diminishes. Meanwhile, the notion that case increases might simply reflect backlogs due to holiday lab closures grows increasingly untenable.

“We are in a dangerous place. It is now clear that we are seeing an escalation related to holiday gatherings. This is not the time to make it harder to react to this virus when it may be surging again,” said Gov. Beshear. “We have to have the tools to fight back.

“Wear your masks all the time when you are indoors and there is anybody else there who is from outside your household. At this point, do it for your own safety. That’s what we need to do to get through these next couple months. Over the last two days, we have vaccinated 32,524 Kentuckians. We are ready to defeat this virus and we need to make sure we protect our people while we do.”

Hospitalization numbers remain steady, though they often lag case data by more than a week.

Currently 1,744 Kentuckians are hospitalized, 424 are in ICUs and 217 are on ventilators.

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