10-year-old improving, second child diagnosed with COVID-19 syndrome

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – The 10-year-old boy hospitalized on a ventilator with a COVID-19-related syndrome is “a bit better” but remains on the ventilator and in ICU, Gov. Andy Beshear said Tuesday.

And, a second youth, a 16-year-old, also has been hospitalized with what is called “pediatric multi-symptom inflammatory syndrome,” but that teen is hospitalized to be “monitored closely,” according to Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Slack, noting the teen is in a “regular bed.”

Those cases prompted the governor to admit he worries state residents will get complacent about the virus as the economic reopening slowly rolls out.

“I am a little worried the reopening will contribute to complacency,” Beshear said.

“I do worry about complacency. It is a test of how much we care about each other, a test of our unity,” he added.

The teen is one of 19 new cases that pushed the state total since the outbreak began more than two months ago to 6,853 cases. The new cases included 71 in Warren County, 26 in Jefferson, 17 in Fayette, eight in Kneton, three in Pike, two each in Jessamine and Montgomery, and on each in Bath, Franklin, Grayson, Madison, Mercer, Pulaski, and Woodford, among mother counties.

Beshear reported 10 new deaths, including four in Kenton, three in Jefferson and one each in Fayette, Boone and Hopkins counties.

A total of 2,546 patients have recovered. That’s 37.1 percent of the state’s total. The governor said 215 people — of 783 total — remain in ICU and 379 remain in the hospital of 1,823 who ever have been hospitalized.

The governor said the state hopes to have its contact tracing plan “pretty much” in place by the end of next week.

“I hope to have the general apparatus in place,” he said of the program that will add staff to the state and local health departments to track people who have had contact with people who test positive for the coronavirus as they return to work.

The state currently is analyzing requests form proposals that will allow hiring through private companies.