COVID numbers continue to go up: More than 5,000 cases announced in Kentucky on Wednesday

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WYMT) - Governor Andy Beshear reported 5,530 new COVID-19 cases across the Commonwealth on Wednesday, bringing the case total to 856,145.

911 of the new cases were children 18 and younger. 1,434 Kentuckians remain hospitalized. 369 people remain in the ICU, with 220 on a ventilator.

The governor tweeted that the state “is now in a surge from Omicron.”

Folks, it’s clear Kentucky is now in a surge from Omicron. Today I am announcing 5,530 newly reported cases of COVID-19 and an increased positivity rate of 14.46%. This is the most contagious variant we’ve seen. Protect yourself and others: get vaccinated and get a booster shot. pic.twitter.com/cBkRJAmpV8
— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) December 29, 2021

The state’s positivity rate now sits at 14.46%.

The Governor also announced 21 new COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday, bringing the statewide total to 12,118.

106 counties across the state are in the red zone on the state’s COVID-19 incidence rate map. Wolfe County leads the state with an incidence rate of 103.8 per 100,000 people.

If you have any questions about the coronavirus in Kentucky, call the state’s COVID-19 hotline at 1-800-722-5725.

You can also find more information, including how to protect your family, by visiting Kentucky’s official COVID-19 website: https://govstatus.egov.com/kycovid19.