Beshear announces fourth highest number of positive COVID-19 cases

FRANKFORT. Ky. (WTVQ) – Governor Andy Beshear reports the fourth-highest number of new positive coronavirus cases in Kentucky.

Beshear says there are 825 new cases, bringing the total number of cases to 47,577. He says 145 of those new cases were under the age of 18.

Beshear also reports three new deaths, all from Lincoln County, bringing the state’s death toll to 921. Those newly reported deaths include an 86-year-old woman and 81-and 94-year-old men.

Ahead of the holiday and other celebrations, Dr. Steven Stack, the state’s public health commissioner says, “now is the time to consider how you will celebrate Oaks, Derby and Labor Day in a way that allows you to share time with others while respecting the required masking and social distancing protocols.”

“As you may recall, as the number of new cases was leveling off months ago, Memorial Day and the Fourth of July resulted in celebrations and mingling. A noticeable spike in the number of positive COVID-19 cases followed,” says Stack. “Then, the mask mandate went into effect and Kentuckians took extra care in social distancing and avoiding visits to other states known as ‘hot spots.’ This successfully plateaued our new weekly cases.”

He cautioned, “If the running of the Oaks, the Kentucky Derby and Labor Day activities reflect other summer holidays, though, cases will spike again and Kentucky will have a setback to the progress we have made by working together. Please, let’s show we can learn from the other holidays. Let’s not slip and lose progress against our fight against the coronavirus.”

As of Saturday, the state reports at least 871,811 tests had been administered. The COVID-19 testing positive rate, based on a seven-day rolling average, taking into account total positive tests reported by laboratories divided by total tests reported by labs, stood at 4.59%. The number of Kentuckians who have recovered stood at 10,328.

For additional information, including up-to-date lists of positive cases and deaths, as well as breakdowns of coronavirus infections by county, race and ethnicity, click here.

Read about other key updates, actions and information from Gov. Beshear and his administration at governor.ky.gov, kycovid19.ky.gov and the Governor’s official social media accounts Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Kentuckians can also access translated COVID-19 information and daily summaries of the Governor’s news conference at teamkentuckytranslations.com.

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