Coronavirus surge continues in state, outbreak ebbing at veterans home

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – While news of a vaccine on the horizon is a “game changer” in the weeks and months ahead, the state still must get to the point where it is available.

“That means we must be willing to make the sacrifices necessary to protect ourselves, our families our co-workers and our neighbors,” Gov. Andy Beshear said during his daily report Monday as he reported a new Monday record for new coronavirus cases.

Meanwhile, the outbreak at the Thomson-Hood Veterans Home in Wilmore is getting under control, but it has come at a cost, Beshear said.

“As of Monday, the center had recorded 85 cases among veterans, with 40 recovered and 23 still active. A total of 22 veterans died from virus-related causes.

“As we celebrate our veterans this week, that is most tragic,” Beshear said, noting the outbreak happened despite “every precaution” to try to keep “it from coming in from the community.”

In addition, 59 staff members tested positive with 49 recovered and 10 in quarantine

Eighty counties are in the red zone as cases, hospitalizations and deaths increase rapidly. Monday’s positivity rate — 7.49 percent — was the highest since May 5.

The state set a record last week with 12,196 cases and started this week ahead of that pace.

“If you’re not wearing a mask, you’re putting yourself at a real risk for contracting COVID. This is happening everywhere, which means we can’t bring in health care workers from other places. If everywhere is surging, we’re going to end up on our own. That means if we get overrun and we don’t have enough staff in hospitals, its our friends, our neighbors, maybe even our family members who wont get the treatment they need,” Beshear said.

Community leaders, schools, businesses and families in red zone counties should follow reduction recommendations (school-specific recommendations here).

“We are clearly at the worst place we have been for this disease,” said Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health. “It took us almost 15 weeks from the start of this pandemic in Kentucky just to get to the number of cases we had last week alone.”

The governor announced 1,745 new cases, bringing the total number of cases to 122,567. Even worse, 1,133 people are in the hospital, the highest number ever, 300 are in ICU, also the highest ever, and 142 are on a ventilator.

“It is to the point where in some areas we are concerned about our health care capacity,” he said, noting some rural areas are beginning to feel the strain.

He also reported 11 more deaths, bringing that total to 1,576.

Those reported lost to the virusinclude a 67-year-old man from Adair County; a 78-year-old woman and two men, ages 66 and 70, from Bullitt County; a 43-year-old woman from Fayette County; a 50-year-old woman from Graves County; a 73-year-old man from Green County; a 96-year-old woman from Hancock County; a 95-year-old woman and a 92-year-old man from Hardin County; and an 81-year-old woman from Jefferson County.

To view the full daily report, incidence rate map, testing locations, long term-care and other congregate facilities update, school reports, the White House Coronavirus Task Force reports for Kentucky and other key guidance visit, kycovid19.ky.gov.