Kentucky saw 135 new cases of COVID-19 from Wednesday to Thursday, according to Governor Andy Beshear, and announced the staggered opening of childcare facilities.
There were 10 more deaths reported, and the Governor says many states are seeing a new trend of new cases either leveling out or declining, but a spike in deaths due to existing cases—Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack explained the trend.
That puts the state death toll at 386. The 135 new cases, which is lower than recent numbers, put the overall state total at 8,286, with 111 of them ‘probable’ cases. There was an increase of about 7,500 people tested across the Commonwealth, with 166,240 people tested for the virus so far. 3,008 individuals have recovered from the coronavirus.
The Governor announced that some childcare will be able to open on June 8, with the rest following on the current date of June 15. Health and Family Services Secretary Eric Friedlander says childcare is of vital importance to opening the economy, and small hometown day cares will be able to open on June 8.
Larger childcare facilities will be able to open as planned on June 15, with officials saying child care places need to stagger groups going out to the playground, get rid of center wide family events and field trips for there to be centralized pick up and drop off.
Starting on June 29, groups of 50 people or less will be able to gather and bars will open back up, likely with limitations in place.
Tennessee saw an increase of 429 cases, putting their total at 18,961 since the pandemic began, and four more deaths to 313. Montgomery County saw only one new case to 217, Robertson County gained 16 cases to 317 and Stewart County remains at eight cases.