Action taken by many city and county governments to prevent the spread of COVID-19 has been replicated across the state by the governor as Kentucky experienced its largest single-day jump in cases since the pandemic began.
There were 204 new cases from Tuesday to Wednesday and eight additional deaths. There are 1,346 total cases and there have been 73 fatalities.
Governor Andy Beshear noted during his afternoon briefing that two of the Christian County deaths were at Western State Hospital and three more staff members have tested positive.
Governor Beshear issued an executive order limiting the number of people entering the essential businesses that remain open in Kentucky to one person per family. Chief of Staff La Tasha Buckner says it’s a way to keep the numbers down and to prevent a trip to the grocery store from becoming at time to congregate.
There are exceptions for single parents without a childcare alternative and for caretakers of adults who cannot be left at home alone.
Another new order bans door to door solicitation of any kind during the pandemic.
A 30-day extension was given to a previous order allowing Kentucky pharmacies to refill up to a 30 day prescription on a non-controlled medication without that patient having to get to the doctor’s office.
In a bit of good news, Kentucky is officially approved for some unemployment benefits recipients to receive additional funds through the federal stimulus package.
There has been one additional positive test at Green River Correctional Complex in Muhlenberg County and there are 72 nursing home patients and 35 staff members across the state with COVID-19. Thirteen people have died in Kentucky nursing homes from the virus.
Tennessee is up to 4,362 total confirmed cases, including 72 in Montgomery, 67 in Robertson and two in Stewart County. Seventy-nine Tennesseans have died from the coronavirus, including two Montgomery County residents.
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