Kentucky reported its deadliest day of the coronavirus pandemic Tuesday and the third-highest single-day total of new cases.
Governor Andy Beshear announced 2,931 new cases and 33 deaths, bringing the pandemic death toll to 1,697.
He says another dangerous trend is the continued escalation of the positivity rate above 9 percent and the subsequent hospitalizations.
The governor confirms he will announce new steps Wednesday afternoon to help curb the spread of COVID-19.
Some health department contact tracers are becoming overwhelmed with the high numbers of new cases and the governor urged Kentuckians who test positive to personally be sure they notify anyone who they have been within six feet of for 15 minutes or more since two days before testing positive or showing symptoms.
Trigg County is back in the orange on the state incidence rate map, but Christian, Todd and the remainder of the Pennyrile region remains red.
It was also another deadly day in Tennessee with 72 more COVID fatalities, in addition to 1,841 new cases. The Volunteer State’s positivity rate is at 13.22 percent and hospitalizations increased by 95 in a 24-hour period.