LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Gov. Andy Beshear said the state has now surpassed more than 10,000 deaths due to COVID-19.
The commonwealth reached the grim milestone over the weekend as the governor announced 80 more deaths. It now brings the total Kentuckians with COVID-19-related deaths to 10,019.
“Every time we lose someone, especially this many people, it tears at the fabric of who we are,” Beshear said. “If we could back up – back out and look at what it means to lose 10,000 people, it is nothing short of tragic.”
The virus has been the No. 3 cause of death among Kentuckians in 2020 and so far in 2021.
Since Saturday, 2,385 new cases of the virus have been reported.
However, the state did have some good news surrounding hospitals and hospitalizations. Hospitals have seen a 12% decrease in patients and just under 50% of hospitals statewide are showing a critical staffing shortage.
Kentucky is making strides on the vaccination front – during the weekend, more than 10,388 vaccines were distributed. Ten percent of those vaccines were given to 5 to 11-year-olds since they were the latest approved to receive the vaccine.
The state is up a full point to 58% of all Kentuckians vaccinated. Beshear calls this “a big deal.” The numbers have been important since 431,000 were misreported as fully vaccinated.
“We want to push that up, every point is one to celebrate,” he said.
Here is a demographic breakdown of vaccine progress:
- 75 and older – 89%
- 65 to 74-years-old – 92%
- 50 to 64-years-old – 76%
- 40 to 49-years-old – 66%
- 25 to 39-years-old – 56%
- 18 to 24-years-old – 49%
- 16 to 17-years-old – 47%
- 12 to 15-years-old – 43%
The total Kentuckians that has received at least one portion of the vaccine is 2,576,911. Beshear also stated that 345,887 people have received their booster shot.
During Monday’s news conference, the governor revealed there will be a memorial service on Sunday, Nov. 14 at 1 p.m. to remember the lives lost to the virus. At some point during ceremony, more information is expected to be revealed about the monument dedicated to victims.
“It’s going to serve as a reminder to future generations of the time we lost Kentucky to a war unlike any other we experienced,” he said.
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