Growth of Kentucky COVID-19 Cases Declining

DEM Blogger

December 20, 2020

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Dec. 19, 2020) – Gov. Andy Beshear Saturday said mitigation efforts have stopped the growth of COVID-19 cases in the commonwealth, noting that case numbers are continuing to decline and Kentucky’s positivity rate is stable.

“What we are seeing is that the measures we have taken are working,” said Gov. Beshear. “We have stopped the increase in cases, which we knew we had to do before we can start to decrease those numbers. Let’s all commit to doing what we know is right – wearing masks, social distancing, washing our hands and limiting our holiday gatherings – so we can beat this virus once and for good.”

Case Information
As of 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19, Gov. Beshear reported the following COVID-19 numbers:

• New cases today: 3,388
• New deaths today: 27
• Positivity rate: 8.58%
• Total deaths: 2,371
• Currently hospitalized: 1,655
• Currently in ICU: 438
• Currently on ventilator: 253

Top counties with the most positive cases today are Jefferson, Kenton, Fayette, Pulaski, Daviess, Boone, Campbell and Warren. Each of these counties reported 100 or more new cases; Jefferson County alone reported 459.

Those reported lost to the virus today include a 62-year-old man from Bell County; a 75-year-old man from Christian County; a 92-year-old woman and five men, ages 62, 73, 83, 83 and 97, from Daviess County; a 61-year-old man from Fayette County; a 50-year-old man from Grayson County; a 63-year-old woman from Hancock County; an 85-year-old woman from Hardin County; a 79-year-old man and two women, ages 58 and 97, from Jefferson County; a 96-year-old woman from Jessamine County; a 77-year-old woman from Knott County; a 91-year-old-man from Marion County; a 70-year-old man from Ohio County; an 87-year-old woman from  Oldham County; two men, ages 69 and 88, from Owsley County; two women, ages 50 and 84, from Pike County; a 78-year-old man from Shelby County; a 63-year-old man from Spencer County; and an 89-year-old woman from Webster County.

“Perseverance in the weeks ahead is critical as vaccine supplies increase and we work towards COVID-19 immunizations available to Kentuckians as 2021 unfolds,” said Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Department for Public Health. “It would be an added tragedy to reverse our hard won progress through leisure travel and large gatherings. Some hospitals are already near full capacity and that could make it difficult to receive care if there is an added holiday surge. Watch your space, wear a mask, and wash your hands to ensure that 2021 is a year of hope and healing.”

More Information
To view the full daily report, incidence rate map, new statewide requirements, testing locations, long term-care and other congregate facilities update, school reports and guidance, red zone counties, red zone recommendations, the White House Coronavirus Task Force reports for Kentucky and other key guidance visit, kycovid19.ky.gov.

See all of the Kentucky Department for Public Health’s winter holiday guidance here: English full guidance, one-pager and single slide and Spanish full guidance, one-pager and single slide.

Kentuckians can also listen to recorded PSAs about the holiday guidance (created in partnership with RadioLex) here: Bosnian, Chinese, English, French, Japanese, Korean, Persian and Spanish.