Kentucky’s COVID-19 case numbers are pacing about even with last week despite many testing locations being closed at times due to last week’s winter weather.
The state reported 1,447 new cases Thursday, a day after the state passed 400,000 total cases.
The state’s testing positivity rate of 5.6-percent was the lowest since October 24. The state has used several different forms of data over the past year to justify COVID-19 restrictions and protocol. Thursday, Governor Andy Beshear said the positivity rate is the leading indicator of the decline in community spread of the coronavirus.
The state announced 43 deaths Thursday making February the second-deadliest month in Kentucky for COVID-related deaths.
Governor Andy Beshear said the state is adding 119 new vaccination sites in the state bringing the total to 410. The Hopkinsville Kroger location is among the new sites announced. Beshear also announced four new sites through the federally qualified heath centers, a program that directly allocates a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccine to select health centers funded by the federal government.
Prior to Thursday, the eight locations were all in eastern Kentucky. Three of the four new sites announced will be in Caldwell, Webster, and McLean counties.
In an unemployment update, the state has about 20,000 unpaid jobless claims from 2020 that are still unpaid, down from about 38,000 a month ago.
