381 new Kentucky COVID-19 cases and 3 deaths. Total cases at 48,396. Deaths at 933.
Gov. Andy Beshear announced 381 new cases of COVID-19 in Kentucky Monday, bringing the state’s total to 48,396 as the state has been in a sustained plateau through the month of August. Beshear also announced three new deaths, bringing the total to 933.
“While our positivity rate is going down, we have more people than ever coming down with COVID,” Beshear said. “I don’t think we’ve been asleep, but I think we’ve been taking a nap the past couple of weeks. Let’s make sure that we wake up and start doing the things to defeat this virus.”
There are 557 people in the hospital with COVID-19, 144 of whom are in intensive care. The official rate of positive tests is 4.42 percent.
August brought Kentucky’s highest number of new cases — 18,245 — and the second highest number of deaths — 198. That trailed only the 223 COVID-19 deaths in April. There were more COVID-19 tests in August than any other month, but the month’s 7.36 positivity rate is the highest since April, when testing was much less widespread.
Dr. Steven Stack, Kentucky’s public health commissioner, denounced a White House official that was touting herd immunity as a solution to the coronavirus. He said about 1.6 million Americans would have to die to reach heard immunity. He said both small pox and polio ran rampant for an extended period of time and herd immunity was never achieved.
“It’s not just reckless, it’s irresponsible,” Stack said. “It’s a failure of leadership.”
While 168 childcare facilities have reported cases of the virus, there has been pressure from daycare operators to loosen restrictions. On Monday, Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Eric Friedlander said the number of children in classrooms will be able to increase from 10 to 15.
At least 134 childcare staff members and 107 children have tested positive for the virus. At nursing homes, there are 607 active cases among residents and 343 among staff members.
At universities, Beshear reported 582 active cases of COVID-19 among students and 16 among staff. There are 159 active cases among K-12 students and 61 active among staff at K-12 schools.
The governor reported that a total of 712 students at the University of Kentucky and 2 staff members have contracted the virus, but the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department, which has the most up to date numbers, is reporting 760 cases among UK students.
Beshear said an increasing number of people, even local officials, are arguing with health officials about whether they should have to follow health guidelines Beshear pleaded with people to follow the advice of local health professionals, saying “these people aren’t paid enough for you to yell at them.”
“If we’re going to have more in-person activities, if we’re going to have more sports, if we’re going to go back to schools, you can’t fight with the health professionals when there’s been a case around you,” he said.
Beshear is currently asking people not to travel to Alabama, Iowa, Nevada, North Dakota and South Dakota, all states that have a positivity rate higher than 15 percent.
CORRECTION: This article originally misstated how many Americans Dr. Steven Stack said would die if the country attempted to reach herd immunity for COVID-19. He said 1.6 million Americans.
This story was originally published August 31, 2020 at 5:01 PM.
