Kentucky reported nearly 1,900 new COVID-19 cases and 52 more virus-related deaths Wednesday, even as the rate of residents testing positive for the coronavirus dropped below 7%.

The latest deaths to be announced included a 35-year-old Kentuckian, Gov. Andy Beshear said. The state’s death toll from the virus has reached at least 9,477, according to state statistics.

The governor has lamented that virus-related deaths remain far too high, even as COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and admissions to intensive care units have dropped.

The 1,899 new virus cases announced Wednesday included 499 among people ages 18 and younger, the statistics showed. The Democratic governor this week urged local school boards to keep requiring students and employees to wear masks at school. He warned that relaxing the masking requirements would jeopardize recent declines in statewide COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.

On Wednesday, Beshear reported that the statewide positivity rate dropped to 6.83%, down from 7.17% the previous day to continue a steady decline in the rate.

The state reported 1,115 virus patients hospitalized in Kentucky, including 321 in ICUs.