Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear’s emergency orders, including the mask mandate, will stay intact after the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled so Friday—and he announced 531 new cases.
The Supreme Court ruling agrees to stay orders in Boone and Scott circuit courts for now that had challenged the Governor’s orders in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. The order emphasizes that “the Kentucky legislature has expressly given the Governor broad executive powers in a public health emergency, the Court orders a stay of all orders of injunctive relief until such time as the various orders are properly before the Court.”
Governor Beshear says he doesn’t consider this a ‘win’ but rather a relief—he says it ensures the safety and lives of Kentuckians now while promising to review evidence at a later date.
The 531 new cases officially puts the overall total in Kentucky at 21,605 and the Governor clarified that the time between a person getting sick and a test coming back positives can be several days.
Approximately 522,267 tests have been administered, putting the positivity rate at 4.2 percent. Eight more Kentuckians have died, including a 60-year old man for Muhlenberg County, putting that total at 658.
The Tennessee Department of Health is reporting another 2,279 cases in the Volunteer State, up to 73,819—they also gained 19 more deaths, putting that total at 815. Montgomery County gained 91 cases and is now at 1,065, Robertson County is reporting 1,076 and Stewart County is at 36 cases.