‘We must act now.’ Kentucky reports 453 new COVID-19 cases Saturday
Kentucky reported 453 new COVID-19 cases Saturday, increasing the statewide total to at least 19,121 confirmed infections.
There were two new deaths — a 69-year-old woman and an 86-year-old man from Jefferson County. The total number of deaths climbed to 622.
“We have another day of really high numbers of COVID-19 cases,” Gov. Andy Beshear said in a press release. “This is another day where it shows that we are no longer in a plateau but cases are increasing. We must act now.”
The 453 cases Saturday topped Friday’s 426 new cases., making Saturday’s total the second-highest ever reported in Kentucky. The most reported in a day was on May 5, when more than 300 of the 625 cases came from an outbreak at the Green River Correctional Complex.
In Lexington, 65 new coronavirus cases were reported Saturday, bringing the two-day total to 148 after a record was set Friday with 83 new infections, according to the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department. The city’s case total grew to 1,987.
Beshear’s mandate to wear masks to fight the spread of the coronavirus took effect Friday night.
The state is seeing “more people wearing face coverings than ever before,” Beshear said Saturday.
However, Beshear’s mask mandate was received with criticism by the top two leaders of Kentucky’s General Assembly — Senate President Robert Stivers and House Speaker David Osborne, both Republicans. Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron asked Scott Circuit Judge Brian Privett to consider whether Beshear’s mask order “complies with the current temporary restraining order stopping enforcement of COVID-19 executive orders that are not in compliance with state law. “
The state’s top health official urged residents Saturday to be cautious.
“Today’s numbers confirm that we will need to continue to take this pandemic seriously,” said Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health. “These numbers demand serious attention. In addition to remaining at least 6 feet away from anyone from outside of your household, sanitizing your hands and other high-touch surfaces, this includes wearing a face covering any time you are in public or indoors, such as in grocery stores or business offices. Wearing a face covering is one of the most important steps we can take to keep our communities safe and continue on the path to reopening Kentucky.”
Keep extra masks on hand, Stack said.
“As of Saturday, there have been at least 475,983 coronavirus tests performed in Kentucky. At least 5,258 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus.,” according to the governor’s office.
This story was originally published July 11, 2020 at 5:45 PM.