At a Monday briefing, Governor Beshear reported Kentucky had more cases of the virus last week than any other point of the pandemic.
Beshear said hospitals are suffering.
“Some COVID patients that are sick are being treated in their cars when there isn’t room for them inside the ER or in the hospital,” he said. “As of today, now 58 of our 96 hospitals are reporting critical staffing shortages.”
The state reported 2,619 new cases and 25 deaths. The positivity rate is at 13.4%. Nearly 2,200 Kentuckians are hospitalized with COVID-19. Beshear said there are only about 115 ICU beds available in the entire state.
Kentucky has recorded more than 77,000 cases of COVID this August. In August of last year, before vaccines were available, the state reported nearly 20,000 cases.
Sherrie Mays is Chief Nursing Officer at Baptist Health Corbin. She said ICU and med surge beds are full.
“Please get your vaccination. That’s the one thing you can do for our community. And the other thing, I’m sorry, but the other thing that you can actually do for our community is pray for our patients,” Mays said.
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