Kentuckians who have been awaiting word on an unemployment claim for over a month should receive help in the coming week, according to Governor Andy Beshear, who gave an update on COVID-19 in the state Saturday afternoon.
Governor Beshear announced there were 171 new cases from Friday to Saturday, bringing the total to 3,905. There are five more deaths, meaning there have been 205 coronavirus fatalities in Kentucky.
While most who have died had other underlying health conditions, the governor says they’d likely still be here if not for the virus.
Many Kentuckians who applied for unemployment weeks ago are still awaiting their first payment and the governor says he’s made it known he wants everyone who applied in March who is still pending payment to be contacted by an employee in the coming week.
Protesters outside the capital could be heard on the televised feed, with the Courier Journal’s Phil Bailey reporting they were turning their ire against Attorney General Daniel Cameron, in addition to the governor. The report says they were demanding that the economy reopen now, despite warnings of another spike in COVID-19 if the process moves too quickly.
They reportedly alleged to Bailey that members of Kentucky’s Muslim community are being allowed to meet during Ramadan while Christians weren’t allowed to congregate for Easter, but Governor Beshear says that’s not true as all mosques have been willing to comply with social distancing orders.
As always, the governor stressed continued social distancing and good hand washing practices as ways to keep yourself and your family healthy. He continues to believe Kentucky has plateaued in number of cases and says we’ll see in a few days if we are on a decline.
Tennessee now has 9,189 confirmed cases and 178 deaths. Montgomery County has 134 cases, Robertson has 127 and Stewart County remains at six.