Another Kentucky coronavirus record broken: 3,825 new cases and 20 deaths
Moments after new restrictions on private gatherings and many businesses took effect Friday evening, Gov. Andy Beshear announced a record 3,825 new COVID-19 cases in Kentucky, bringing the state’s total to 152,206.
He also announced 20 new deaths, increasing Kentucky’s death toll to 1,762 and making it the state’s deadliest week of the coronavirus pandemic.
“This is exponential growth. It is shattering records over and over until we stop it. That’s why we are taking action — we have to,” Beshear said in a news release. “Remember, your decisions are going to be what determines how many people live or die. Do your part.”
There are 1,544 Kentuckians in the hospital with the virus, 366 of whom are in the ICU. While the number of Kentuckians in the hospital has decreased slightly over the past two days, the number of people in the ICU is at its highest since the beginning of the pandemic. Of the Kentuckians in intensive care, 188 are on ventilators.
Kentucky’s positivity rate is 9.15 percent, a slight decrease from Thursday. Jefferson, Fayette, Boyd, Boone and Kenton counties all reported more than 100 cases Friday. Of Kentucky’s 120 counties, only seven are reporting fewer than 25 cases per 100,000 people, meaning nearly every county in the state is experiencing uncontrolled spread of the virus.
Kentucky’s latest coronavirus record came minutes after the state’s new restrictions went into effect. They prohibit indoor seating at bars and restaurants; decrease the number of people allowed in gyms and a variety of other businesses; shut down in-person learning at most schools for the rest of the semester, and limit private indoor gatherings to eight people from no more than two households. The restrictions have been heavily criticized by Republicans, who have called for more Kentucky-specific data to justify the changes.
Republicans have presented no plan of their own to stop the spread of the virus, and Beshear has defended his restrictions, saying he’s relying on the advice of public health experts.
There are 1,630 active cases of COVID-19 among nursing home residents and 1,077 cases among nursing home staff. There have been 1,140 nursing home related deaths, 64.7 percent of all COVID-19-related deaths in Kentucky.
The University of Kentucky, which wrapped up in-person classes this week, has reported 203 cases of COVID-19 in the last 14 days, according to the Department of Public Health. There have been 749 cases reported in the last two weeks among students at all of Kentucky’s colleges and universities.
Beshear has asked most private and public K-12 schools to cancel in-person classes through the rest of the semester. Elementary schools in counties where there aren’t more than 25 cases per 100,000 residents could reopen December 7. There were 718 new cases of the virus among students at K-12 schools this week and 395 cases among staff.
This story was originally published November 20, 2020 at 5:20 PM.
