Governor Andy Beshear says social distancing efforts by Kentuckians are working, as numbers of new cases of COVID-19 are steadily increasing as opposed to the exponential growth that can happen.
There were 92 new cases from Friday to Saturday, bringing the overall total to 917. There have been three additional deaths, bringing that total to 40 since the pandemic began. At least 130 patients have been hospitalized, 76 are currently in the hospital and over 16,600 Kentuckians have been tested.
The governor says he can tell a large number of Kentuckians are staying at home, avoiding crowds and using good hand washing practices because the number of flu cases has dropped drastically over the last month.
Even so, more COVID-19 cases will come and Governor Beshear says he’s asked hospitals to look at their other facilities as potential auxiliary hospitals should more space be needed.
He says personal protective gear continues to be difficult to come by and urged any Kentucky manufacturer who can help with producing masks, gloves, gowns or other equipment to contact state government.
Asked about a pastor of Maryville Baptist Church in Bullitt County continuing to hold in-person church services, the governor says anyone who holds large gatherings during this pandemic is putting lives in danger.
Todd County Health Department Director Jen Harris said during a Facebook Live Saturday that she knew of at least two churches there still holding in-person worship. She pled for them to cease and offered to assist any church needing help with how to conduct a virtual service online.
Tennessee is up to 3,321 confirmed cases, including 46 in Montgomery County, two in Stewart and 51 in Robertson County. Montgomery County reported its first COVID-19 death and forty-three Tennesseans have died from the coronavirus since the pandemic began.
https://www.facebook.com/GovAndyBeshear/videos/572893636662114/UzpfSTEwOTAyOTc0NTc5NzY5NDozMTUyNjY4OTI0NzY3MDc5/