Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear says the state could be entering a plateau of new COVID-19 cases, but that number would still be too taxing for the hospital system.
He reported 4,099 new cases Thursday, along with 44 new deaths and a once again decreasing positivity rate, now down to 11.33 percent. A leveling off at this level would be better than a continuing escalation, especially as the number of those vaccinated continues to grow, but the governor says more needs to happen to bring cases down.
Governor Beshear says the number of cases being reported each day is not sustainable for local hospitals, many of which are still critically short staffed and overtaxed.
From March 1 to September, 86.7 percent of COVID-19 cases, 92.1 percent of COVID-19 hospitalizations and 84.6 percent of COVID-19 deaths have been among partially vaccinated or unvaccinated Kentuckians.