Kentucky on Wednesday reported an additional 82 deaths from COVID-19, bringing the total number since the pandemic began to more than 8,700.

The newly announced deaths happened this month and last, Gov. Andy Beshear said in a video posted to social media. The number of new cases and hospitalizations in the state continues to decline, however, the Democratic governor said.

“Today’s COVID report continues to show either plateauing or declining cases but still far too many,” he said.

Kentucky reported 3,893 coronavirus cases and a positivity rate of 0.05% on Wednesday, down from 10.40% on Tuesday, Beshear said. Roughly a third of new cases were school-age children.

Beshear urged Kentuckians to get vaccinated, to further protect against the likelihood of severe infection. Recent state reports found that from March 1 to Sept. 22, 86.7% of COVID-19 cases, 92.1% of COVID-19 hospitalizations and 84.6% of COVID-19 deaths in Kentucky have been among those who were unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.

“This is why we need everybody to get vaccinated and this is why you should be masking up when you are indoors in public, outside of your home,” Beshear said. “It’s not because anybody wants to make you do something uncomfortable; it’s because we care about you.”

Approximately 60% of all Kentuckians have had at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose.

The surge of the delta variant continues to stress the state’s hospital systems. State reports show that 7 out of 10 of the state’s hospital regions have ICU capacity at 90%, with only 217 beds available statewide.

A total of 1,995 people were hospitalized Wednesday, 11 fewer than Tuesday.

All but six of Kentucky’s 120 counties are reported to be in the state’s so-called red zone — signaling a severe level of community spread.