"It's hard to tell a 40-year-old they're going to be dead within 24 hours and there's nothing we can do."

Those are the words a Kentucky doctor shared in an effort to paint a picture of how COVID-19 is gripping their state right now.

Gov. Andy Beshear and healthcare professionals came together to update the public on coronavirus in the Bluegrass State on Thursday.

Doctors sounded the alarm on the Delta variant's threat, event to young people. They say once the Delta variant became dominant in Kentucky, the number of younger patients dying "increased significantly."

“Within the last month or so, we’ve been seeing 20-year-olds and 30-year-olds and 50-year-olds come in and within 24 to 48 hours they die,” Traci Sanchez, MD, KDMC, said. “Families are angry. They’re lost. Patients are lost because they know they’re dying. It’s hard to tell someone who is 40 years old that they’re going to be dead within 24 hours and there’s nothing we can do.”

There's only 93 ICU beds left in the state of Kentucky and about two-thirds, or 66 of 96 hospitals, are experiencing critical staffing shortages.

“I’ve been in codes not just for people my age, but my kid’s age. I think that when you see that you really think, and it really scares us about going forward,” said James Goetz, MD, KDMC. “I just ask everyone out there to get vaccinated and help all of us here.”

Click here to find COVID-19 testing sites in Kentucky and here for places to get vaccinated.