Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear says cases of COVID-19 are on the rise across the state as he announced 426 new cases during Friday’s update.
That new number puts the overall total in the state at 18,670, with approximately 470,848 people having been tested so far across the Commonwealth—at least 5,258 people have recovered from the virus. The positivity rate has risen to 4.5 percent of those being tested, which the Governor says is about double it was two weeks ago. He says the increasing numbers, not just here but across the nation, are what pushed him to issue an executive order mandating the wearing of face masks.
The Governor clarified that the increase in positivity rate shows that more available testing is not responsible for the increase in positive results.
The Governor says the amount of children testing positive is also on the increase, including in daycares, which had been starting to reopen. Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Eric Frielander says they’re watching the situation very closely and he urged everyone keep abiding by the strict guidelines that are already in place.
Eight more Kentuckians have died, putting that total at 620. Beshear says unemployment claims continue to be addressed as quickly as possible and thanks to an independent contractor’s aid they now have about 300 people processing claims. He urged those still waiting on a call to keep a close eye on their phones in the coming days.
The Tennessee Department of Health is reporting an additional 1,955 cases in the Volunteer State, putting the total at 59,546—there were 13 deaths, making that 723 there. Montgomery County is now at 712 cases, Robertson County 901 cases and Stewart County is now at 27 cases.