FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — During his Friday press conference, Gov. Andy Beshear announced that Kentucky had its third-highest daily increase of COVID-19 cases.
The governor announced 4,750 new cases, bringing Kentucky's COVID-19 case total to 296,167, along with 13 virus-related deaths, bringing the state's total to 2,856.
Friday's case report comes after two of the state's highest case reports to date. On Wednesday, a record 5,742 new cases were reported, followed by 4,911 new cases on Thursday.
"We wear a mask now to protect ourselves. You have to assume if you're indoors with other people that someone has the virus and you need to be wearing that mask outside of your own household," Gov. Beshear said. "It's gotten that significant."
Lab closures during the holidays could also play a role in the increase in cases, he said, but only time will tell.
Still, Gov. Beshear said there was good news in the state's vaccine rollout.
As of Friday, 107,799 Kentuckians had received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine with 43,385 of those doses administered since Tuesday.
Still, Gov. Beshear said the state has not yet met his new goal of having 90% of vaccine doses administered within seven days of their arrival in Kentucky.
The positivity rate currently sits at 11.93%.
Gov. Beshear said the state is seeing a clear spike in coronavirus numbers stemming from holiday gatherings and urged anyone in contact with a person outside their household during that time to get tested right away.
