LOUISVILLE, Ky. — COVID-19 cases continue climbing in Kentucky, with the latest statewide weekly positivity rate of close to 17%.

Since mid-April, Norton Immediate Care Centers have seen a slow but steady increase in the positivity rate for COVID-19, according to Dr. Mary Rademaker, executive medical director.

“Literally 12 weeks or so, [we’ve gone] from about 3% positive up to greater than 40% positivity on the people we’re testing,” she said. 

The BA.5 sub-variant is thought to be the most contagious so far and most patients are experiencing flu-like symptoms with “tremendous body aches,” she said. 

“A lot of severe headache and quite a few people have told us they have the worst sore throat that they’ve ever experienced in their life,” said Rademaker. 

Rademaker suspects there are many more cases than are being reported because children are out of school and people are testing at home. 

“It seems very unpredictable because this is a new for way for it to increase, this slow, steady 12 weeks of increasing positivity,” she said. “We keep waiting to see if there’s going to be a max, then it would fall off, and it just hasn’t.” 

Despite the number of positive cases, hospitalizations have remained pretty flat. 

She urges Kentuckians to do what they can to avoid becoming infected and follow CDC guidelines for quarantining if they do. 

The doctor recommends getting vaccinated and a booster if you’re due, and if you’ve tested positive, stay hydrated, rest and see a doctor if your symptoms get worse.