KENTUCKY, USA — Another Kentucky public school employee has died of COVID-19, bringing the total to at least 49. That's according to the educator’s group Kentucky 120 United, which has been tracking the deaths of public school workers from pre-K to 12th grade.
The Lexington Herald-Leader reports the most recent victim of the pandemic was Kimberly Williamson. She was an elementary substitute instructional assistant and substitute custodian in the Pike County schools.
The 46-year-old was a mother of two was engaged to be married. She had one grandchild and another on the way.
Friday, Governor Andy Beshear reported that Kentucky’s COVID-19 test positivity rate has dropped into single digits for the first time in nearly two months.
But the virus continues to exact a heavy toll. Beshear reported 4,118 new coronavirus cases and 34 more virus-related deaths. That pushed the statewide virus death toll past 8,800.
Beshear says that's the first time the rate has been below 10% since Aug. 3.
In a tweet with the latest COVID update, Gov. Beshear urged Kentuckians to encourage other to get the vaccine and mask up indoors.
"Please, help encourage others to roll up their sleeve and mask up indoors to protect the lives of our people."
Overall, deaths in the United States from COVID-19 appear to be declining, averaging about 1,900 a day versus more than 2,000 about a week ago. But the country on Friday crossed the heartbreaking milestone of 700,000 dead overall since the pandemic began. That's according to numbers from Johns Hopkins University.
A decline in cases across the U.S. over the past several weeks has given overwhelmed hospitals some relief, but administrators are bracing for yet another possible surge as cold weather drives people indoors.
Health experts say the fourth wave of the pandemic has peaked overall in the U.S., particularly in the Deep South, where hospitals were stretched to the limit weeks ago. But many Northern states are still struggling with rising cases, and what’s ahead for winter is far less clear.
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