Governor Andy Beshear announced Kentucky’s third-highest single-day total of new COVID-19 cases Friday.
The 4,750 new cases come after Kentucky recorded its first and second-highest totals earlier this week. The positivity rate rose again to 11.93 percent and Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack believes the current spike is due to congregating during the holidays.
At least 1,748 Kentuckians are hospitalized, 393 are in the ICU and 217 are on a ventilator. The governor announced 13 more deaths, including three Marshall County residents and a 93-year old man from Muhlenberg County.
The governor’s office says about 90,000 initial unemployment claims are pending, but they believe about 60,000 are fraudulent and they’re working through the remainder.
Those with a claim filed between March and the end of October that is still pending state action will receive a state stimulus of $1,000 and it will not have to be requested. Claimants who receive less than $100 weekly and who were not eligible for the federal supplemental program in August and September will see an additional $400 from the state.
Vaccine distributions are accelerating, including at long-term care facilities in Kentucky, which have seen 15,000 residents and 8,300 staff members vaccinated. A total of 107,000 doses have been administered across the commonwealth.
The governor also addressed efforts by Republican lawmakers to reign in his pandemic emergency powers.
The House and Senate are fast-tracking measures that would prevent the governor from shutting down businesses and schools without the approval of the legislature.