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Tracking COVID-19 hospitalization rates in Indiana and Kentucky | Data Deep Dive

No drastic decline in hospitalizations since mask mandates. The FOCUS team is charting changes over time.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As a reminder, these graphs don't reflect how the virus is spreading right now but could be weeks delayed. To put you at ease, both Kentucky and Indiana are far from the danger zone of surpassing the health care capacity.

First a look at hospitalizations in the Hoosier state. 

Credit: FOCUS Investigates

The blue line is tracking the ICU beds in use by COVID-19 patients. The orange line shows the ventilators in use by COVID-19 patients. The grey segment marks when the mask mandate took effect about a month ago.

You'll notice since April 8, hospitalizations have gone down overall.

However, since the mask mandate, hospitalizations have flattened out with no sign of a decline just yet.

For perspective, on the first day of the mask mandate, there were 304 COVID patients intensive care beds and 69 COVID patients on ventilators. Wednesday, there were about 26 fewer patients in the ICU and 6 more patients on ventilators. 

Now, a check-in with the Commonwealth.

Credit: FOCUS Investigates

The blue line shows the hospital beds in use by COVID-19 patients since June.

The orange line tracks COVID-19 patients in intensive care.

Again, we've marked the day the mask mandate started in grey. Those data bubbles show you the high points after the mask mandate.

On the far right, you'll notice the rates for today.

Since the peak in mid-August, fewer COVID-19 patients are in hospital beds today.

However, there are nearly 200 more patients in hospital beds and 81 more patients in the ICU with COVID compared to the day the mandate was put in place.

According to the Kentucky Hospital Association, as of August 25, there are:

  • 11,776 total hospital beds
  • 7,858 currently in use (including non-COVID patients)  
  • 3,918 open, that's about 33% of the total beds available
  • 1,728 total ICU beds
  • 1,347 beds in use (including non-COVID)
  • 381 ICU beds free, 22% of the total ICU beds are available

To put it in perspective, only 5% of hospital beds and nearly 9% of ICU beds in use by COVID patients in the Bluegrass state.

In conclusion, people are still getting critically ill from this virus.

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