Kentucky sees highest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases with 273; four new deaths
Gov. Andy Beshear Sunday announced 273 new cases of COVID-19, the highest number of new cases he’s announced so far, bringing the total to 2,960 and guaranteeing that Kentucky won’t be able to loosen restrictions for at least 14 days.
Beshear also announced four new deaths Sunday, bringing the state’s total to 148. At least 1,122 people have recovered from the virus.
“We’re not in the 14 days of decreasing under the White House guidelines to do certain things,” Beshear said. “We’re still in the midst of the fight.”
At least 13 percent of the COVID-19 cases reported in Kentucky have been nursing home residents. Beshear Sunday announced that 33 more residents of nursing homes tested positive and eight more nursing home staff members tested positive. At least 49 residents of nursing homes have died from the virus in Kentucky, around a third of the state’s total deaths.
On Sunday, the Cumberland Valley District Health Department announced 13 new cases in Jackson County, at least 12 of which were related to Signature Healthcare at Jackson Manor, a nursing home in the county. The increase was due to the retesting of a number of people who had already tested negative for the virus.
Dr. Steven Stack, Kentucky’s Public Health Commissioner, has explained that it’s possible for people to test negative if they’re not displaying symptoms or if the test does not get a good sample. Stack said the state is working on getting the most reliable tests possible.
“This is one of the things with this virus, people can have a test, the test is too early even after they have been exposed, but test negative,” Beshear said.
Beshear said the state is working to increase testing in nursing homes, but that he sees potential in nursing homes being able to open a “Covid wing” where residents who have symptoms are separated from the rest of the residents.
Across the country, amid growing unemployment claims, there has been pressure to start loosening some of the economic restrictions put in place in order to stem the spread of the virus. In Kentucky, there have been at least two protests over the restrictions one with more than 100 people and a second follow-up drive through protest.
Stack explained that Kentucky is unlikely to start loosening restrictions by May 1. He said that while there has been a relative plateau in Kentucky’s new case rate, we have not yet entered the period of decline necessary for more places to reopen.
Even if we see decline, the state will have to rapidly increase testing and obtain more personal protective equipment.
Until there is a vaccine or treatment of the disease things will look a lot different. Beshear said the administration will start highly encouraging people to wear cloth masks in public once the restrictions are loosened and that a lot of people will have to wear masks and gloves to work.
There have been veiled threats against Beshear in some Facebook groups in recent days and when asked about the threats Sunday, Beshear said Kentucky State Police does a good job and he “couldn’t be in better hands.” Other politicians in Frankfort have denounced the threats on Twitter.
Herald-Leader reporter Morgan Eads contributed reporting to this article.
This story was originally published April 19, 2020 at 6:00 PM.
