The omicron variant is giving Kentucky its largest surge of COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began.
Governor Andy Beshear announced Monday that Thursday had the highest number of cases for a single day since the pandemic began at 6,441 and the positivity rate is now at 20.72 percent—also a pandemic high.
Last week had the second-most COVID cases of any week during the pandemic.
The governor says the virus is spreading so fast now, it’s important to call your close contacts if you test positive to let them know they are at risk of becoming ill and infecting others.
While omicron appears to produce mostly milder cases of COVID, the governor says hospitalizations are still increasing because the sheer number of people getting sick.
Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack says the best way to prevent severe symptoms or death remains getting vaccinated.
About 74 percent of Kentuckians age 18 and up have been vaccinated against COVID-19 and just over 10,000 commonwealth residents got their shots last week.
Dr. Stack says school systems that do not require masking as they reopen are destined to have large outbreaks due to the extremely contagious nature of omicron.
There were 4,111 new cases Monday and 120 deaths since Thursday.
The governor also announced the waiting period has been waived for those filing for disaster unemployment assistance in the 16 counties from the December 10 and 11 federal disaster declaration, including Christian, Caldwell, Graves and Hopkins counties.
Beshear will give his State of the Commonwealth Address Wednesday night at 6 p.m. and it will air on Kentucky Educational television.