Gov. Andy Beshear sounded the alarm — 453 new COVID cases and two deaths. Kentucky is no longer in a plateau.
“We have another day of really high numbers of COVID-19 cases,” said Beshear. “This is another day where it shows that we are no longer in a plateau but cases are increasing. We must act now.”
As of Saturday afternoon, Beshear said there were at least 19,121 coronavirus cases in Kentucky and a total of 622 deaths.
“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 six 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.”
Stack added a few additional tips for wearing face coverings most effectively.
“Make sure your mask fits properly to protect individuals and others from getting sick. And, keep extra masks handy,” Stack said. “If you know you’re going to be outdoors in the heat or doing any kind of activity where you might work up a sweat, bring an extra face mask.”
The deaths reported Saturday include a 69-year-old woman and an 86-year-old man from Jefferson County.
“We continue to lose people to this virus and I know you know it like I know it,” said Beshear. “We’re up to 622 lives lost. That’s tough news for today. The positive news is we’re seeing better compliance and more people wearing face coverings than ever before. It’s not a political statement. It’s a statement that you care.”
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.
After the governor’s order I went to Walmart’s today. Last week probably less than 30% of the people were wearing a mask. 100% are today. All the people need is a little leadership on what to do. It is a shame we cannot get that out of Washington. This virus thing would be largely dealt with by now.