The amount of new COVID-19 cases in Kentucky fell for a second consecutive day and Governor Andy Beshear has ordered residents to avoid any unessential travel out of the state.
The governor says Kentucky now has 480 confirmed cases, up 42 from Sunday and it’s a second consecutive day of less new cases than the previous day. He says that trend is not likely to continue for long and he expects larger numbers in the coming days. Between 15,000 and 21,000 tests have been administered since the pandemic began, according to Beshear.
Governor Beshear announced the deaths of an 88-year old female from Kenton County and a 90-year old female from Simpson County. The Hopkins County Health Department announced a second coronavirus death earlier in the morning, only saying that person was an adult and all three patients had other underlying health conditions.
The new order allows travel across the state line for work, to purchase groceries, for medical appointments, or to care for a loved one when it’s necessary. Governor Beshear says it’s meant to prohibit residents from going across the state line just to visit or for recreation. He anyone who travels out of state without good reason should quarantine for 14 days.
Beshear pointed out that several counties just south of the Tennessee border have higher number of cases than their Kentucky neighbors.
Tennessee has 1,835 total cases, including 13 in Montgomery and 27 in Robertson County. Governor Bill Lee issued a ‘strong urging’ for citizens to be safer at home and closed all non-essential businesses in the Volunteer State.
Governor Beshear says getting unemployment claims processed is still slow-going, but additional employees are being brought on and they will be working out all of the issues as quickly as possible.
Asked about some churches in Dawson Springs continuing to meet for in-person services, he noted his own grandfather was a minister in the Hopkins County town and pled with those pastors to stop meeting. He says God would not want churches to put folks in danger by meeting during a pandemic.
In a piece of good news, the one-year old baby in Fayette County who recently contracted the coronavirus is recovering well at home and should be fine, according to the governor.
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