Kentucky had a Saturday record 2,162 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and Tennessee shattered its single-day record for cases since the pandemic began.
Governor Andy Beshear also announced Kentucky’s positivity rate is at 7.17 percent, the highest it’s been since May 5.
He is quoted in a news release as saying, “As Kentuckians we need to come together right now. We need everyone wearing a mask, following the red zone recommendations and other guidance, like limiting travel and social distancing, so that we can stop this alarming escalation of cases.”
Another 17 COVID related deaths were also reported, including a 70-year old man from Livingston County and an 85-year old man from Graves County.
There have been 1,561 coronavirus deaths in Kentucky.
There are 1,129 patients hospitalized with the virus currently in Kentucky, 289 are in the ICU and 149 are on a ventilator. Christian, Hopkins and Caldwell counties are red on the state incidence rate map and 119 of the 120 counties are either orange or red.
Tennessee had a record 5,071 new cases and 49 more deaths. The Volunteer State’s positivity rate is 11.1 percent and a total of 3,590 Tennesseans have died.