A record 20 Kentucky coronavirus deaths and 164 new cases. More reopenings on June 8.
Gov. Andy Beshear announced 20 new coronavirus-related deaths Tuesday in Kentucky — the highest he’s announced in a single day — bringing the state’s death toll to 366 the day before non-essential retail businesses are allowed to reopen.
‘We can do this and we can do this safely,” Beshear said of reopening. “But we need to be really careful about it.”
He also announced 164 new COVID-19 cases, raising the state’s total to 8,069. At least 153,800 tests have been performed in Kentucky, which is the equivalent of roughly 3.44 percent of the state population.
There are 443 people with the coronavirus in the hospital, 269 of which are in intensive care. At least 2,826 people have recovered from the illness. Beshear said he does not have enough data to explain why there has been a recent uptick in the number of people who are hospitalized and in the ICU.
The deaths announced Tuesday spanned the state, from Daviess, Logan, Edmonson, Campbell, Kenton, Allen, Warren, Jefferson, Boone, Adair, Logan and Breckinridge counties.
Several of the deaths have come from nursing homes, where 205 residents and two staff members have died from the disease. That accounts for 56 percent of the overall deaths. At least 1,016 residents of nursing homes and 455 staff members have been infected with the virus, an increase of 12 residents and 32 staff from Monday.
The state has a plan to test all residents and staff of nursing homes, including more than 3,000 of them this week. “When we test all the staff, we have found a lot of asymptomatic staff,” Beshear said.
Beshear pointed out that while the number of COVID-19 cases has plateaued in the state, the percentage of people who are testing positive has gone down. On Tuesday, 5.25 percent of those who have been tested have been positive, which is the lowest that number has been since April 6. The low percentage is largely due to increased testing.
“While cases have plateaued, our infection rate has gone down,” Beshear said. “We have a smaller percentage of people who are testing positive.”
Beshear said testing will continue to increase, announcing an expanded partnership with Walmart that will make testing available on an ongoing basis in Ashland, Bowling Green, Leitchfield, London, Paducah, Pikeville, Richmond and Bardstown. Individuals can sign up for the free tests, which are open to anyone regardless of symptoms, at doineedacovid19test.com.
More reopenings on June 8
Beshear announced that libraries, museums, aquariums, outdoor attractions and distilleries will be able to reopen on June 8. The state will issue rules for those reopenings at a later date.
“Let’s not screw this up,” Beshear said, referring to the fact that retail stores and dine-in restaurants will start to reopen this week.
This weekend, people will be allowed to gather in groups of 10 or fewer people, just in time for Memorial Day Weekend. Dr. Steven Stack, Kentucky’s public health commissioner, outlined precautions people should take for such gatherings: stay outside whenever possible; stay six feet apart; wear a mask; don’t share food, drink, containers, plates, napkins or utensils; wash hands before, during and after the event and provide hand sanitizer; and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
“It’s Memorial Day Weekend, I know many of us crave the company of our family and our friends,” Stack said. “I hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day, but I urge, I urge and I ask, that everybody please follow these steps so we can stay safe together.”
Stack shared an example of a couple who attended a church in Arkansas on the weekend of March 8 and transmitted the disease to 35 of 92 attendees even though the couple wasn’t presenting any symptoms at the time. Stack said three of the people who caught the virus ended up dying. Those attendees then spread the disease to 26 others in the community, one of whom died.
Beshear said the state will put out guidance later this week on how childcare providers can safely reopen on June 15.
“It’s going to come down to the number of children in any one group,” he said.
If summer camps are able to meet the guidelines for childcare, they also can reopen on June 15, he said.
Beshear has not issued any guidance on when live performances and bingo halls will be able to return.
More than 9,000 apply for Team Kentucky help
The state has been raising money through the Team Kentucky Fund to help people pay for necessities, such as rent and utilities. Beshear said Tuesday that 9,314 applications have been started and 1,251 are complete, which will total more than $1 million in aid. Beshear said he hopes the money will go out soon. Applications can be filed at teamkyfund.ky.gov.
“Remember, this is temporary,” Beshear said. “We don’t know exactly when the vaccine is coming, but we know it’s temporary. And our hardship is temporary too.”
This story was originally published May 19, 2020 at 5:44 PM.
