FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky is seeing a good trajectory in regard to weekly cases and positivity rate and that if these trends continue, Kentucky likely will be moving out of the red zone and into the orange or yellow by March 14, Gov. Andy Beshear said Monday.
If weekly COVID-19 cases and positivity rates continue to decrease, his goal is to provide updated guidance for the state workforce by next month, he said.
“The topline message is that cases continue to fall,” Beshear said. “We’re still seeing significant numbers of deaths, but cases continue to fall, and the trajectory is exactly what we want to see.”
Case information, vaccinations update
Number of people who have received at least one vaccine dose in Kentucky: 2,870,708
Number of people who have received their vaccination booster in Kentucky: 1,057,632
Feb. 12 Cases: 3,755
Feb. 12 Deaths: 48
Feb. 13 Cases: 2,220
Feb. 13 Deaths: 36
New Cases Monday: 1,907
New Deaths: 32
Today’s Positivity Rate: 17.93%
Current Hospitalizations: 1,750
Current Intensive Care Admittances: 322
Currently on Ventilators: 162
During the week ending Feb. 13, 35,961 cases were reported in Kentucky and the average test positivity rate was 18.37%. The governor said that 318 National Guard members are deployed helping Kentucky hospitals. While cases continue to decrease, Beshear said this past week was still the sixth-highest week for new cases during the pandemic.
Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Department for Public Health, urged expecting mothers to get vaccinated and said there is no evidence of adverse maternal or fetal effects.
“A growing body of data demonstrates the safety of vaccine use in pregnant individuals and that there are risks from contracting COVID during pregnancy, including that COVID increases risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death, and increases the risk of preterm delivery and a small increased risk of stillbirth,” Stack said. “COVID-19 vaccination reduces the risk of these complications and is safe for both the mother and the unborn child.”
Tornado recovery update
As of Monday morning, 243 displaced guests are being housed at Kentucky State Parks. With declining numbers of sheltering guests, state parks will soon begin to consolidate the number of parks providing housing for displaced families by transitioning individuals to mid-term housing options such as travel trailers and cottages, both of which are more private and offer kitchens.
The governor provided an update on the Commonwealth Sheltering Program and said 25 families have been placed in travel trailers. That number includes four families placed Feb. 11-12, one in Pennyrile State Park and three in the Mayfield Mobile Home Park.
The deadline for storm survivors to apply for FEMA for assistance is Sunday, March 13, 2022. To apply for FEMA assistance, visit DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA mobile app or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. To find a Disaster Recovery Center, visit fema.gov/drc or call the FEMA Helpline.
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