Kentucky sets ‘staggeringly high’ new record for coronavirus cases. 30 more deaths.
Gov. Andy Beshear again announced a record-shattering day of new COVID-19 cases Thursday, with 3,649 new cases, and 30 coronavirus-related deaths, the second-highest day since the pandemic began.
The “staggeringly high” totals come a day before a new wave of restrictions to limit COVID-19 is set to go into effect at 5 p.m. Friday. Kentucky’s cases are nearing 150,000, at 148,390. The state’s death toll is 1,742. The positivity rate is 9.18 percent, the highest since widespread testing began.
“This is a tough day but it shows we need to take these steps,” Beshear said, referencing new restrictions that limit private gatherings to eight people indoors and eliminate indoor seating at restaurants and bars. “I don’t want this to become what happened to New York and New Jersey.”
Already, the 41,171 cases in November are more than any other month in the pandemic and the top five highest days of new cases have come in the past week.
“This is exponential growth,” Beshear said. “It’s continuing to grow and will continue to grow. Our job is to stop it.”
Beshear defended his restrictions against claims that he was applying them inconsistently, saying that public health experts advised him to be as specific as possible when making guidelines. He also dismissed arguments that he is favoring retail stores over restaurants.
“It is different going into a restaurant, taking off your mask and eating while congregating around other people than going to WalMart to buy toilet paper and wearing your mask,” he said. “It’s entirely different. It’s different to have 10 people over to your house, where people are going to relax and take their masks off, than if you are at a venue that has people working there that are constantly reminding you to keep your mask on.”
Beshear also asked religious leaders to suspend in-person services through December 13. His request came in the form of a recommendation, rather than an executive order. Earlier this year, Beshear faced legal challenges over his decision to restrict in-person religious services.
Kentucky ‘on fire’ with COVID
There are 1,550 Kentuckians hospitalized with the virus, 358 of whom are in intensive care and 199 of whom are on a ventilator. Of Kentucky’s 120 counties, 112 counties are in the “red zone,” meaning there have been more than 25 cases per 100,000 residents over the past seven days.
“The whole state is on fire because of COVID,” Beshear said.
Beshear talked about Alexa Rose Veit, a 15-year-old from Ballard County who died from coronavirus complications. Veit, who had special needs and was in remission from Leukemia, was admired by many in her community, Beshear said.
“Her strength and resiliency always helped her overcome any challenge,” he said.
There are more than 1,359 health care workers in Kentucky who have tested positive for the virus over the past two weeks and more than 8,300 health care workers have tested positive since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the Department for Public Health.
“That doesn’t account for those that are in quarantine right now,” Beshear said.
There are 1,656 active cases among nursing home residents and 1,077 active cases among nursing home staff. There have been 1,125 nursing home related COVID-19 deaths, which is 65 percent of Kentucky’s COVID-19 deaths.
Beshear announced that UPS is hiring 1,000 people who have lost jobs from the pandemic, particularly people who are out of work from the bar and restaurant industry. They will help deliver packages during the holiday season.
This story was originally published November 19, 2020 at 4:24 PM.
