‘Not moving in the right direction.’ KY reports 1,295 cases of coronavirus, 12 deaths Saturday
Kentucky reported 1,295 new cases of COVID-19 Saturday, the fourth-highest single-day total of the pandemic so far.
Twelve more deaths were reported Saturday, bringing the state’s total coronavirus-related deaths to 1,312.
“Things are not moving in the right direction; they continue to escalate,” Gov. Andy Beshear said in a news release. “This virus is our enemy, not each other.”
In Lexington, 89 more cases and one new death were reported Saturday, according to the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department. That brings Fayette County’s totals to 9,811 cases and 87 deaths.
Kentucky has had at least 86,797 cases of coronavirus since the pandemic began.
As of Saturday, the positivity rate stood at 4.62 percent for the past seven days of testing.
There were 691 people hospitalized with coronavirus in Kentucky has of Saturday, 185 of whom were in intensive care, according to state data.
“These cases are all over the place. On top of that, all of our other numbers are going the wrong way, too. More Kentuckians hospitalized and in the ICU than ever,” Beshear said. “We know what it takes to stop these numbers from escalating. People’s lives depend on it.”
Dr. Steven Stack, Kentucky’s public health commissioner, said this month is on track to set a record for COVID-19 cases in Kentucky.
“We’re in the midst of an escalation in cases and our hospitalizations are increasing now, too,” he said. “As the holidays approach, it’s imperative to limit further spread. Practice social distancing, wear a face covering and practice good hand hygiene to reduce your chances of contracting COVID-19.”
This story was originally published October 17, 2020 at 4:59 PM.
