Kentucky had 227 new cases of COVID-19 from Wednesday to Thursday and while that number was a bit higher than recent days, Governor Andy Beshear says those results came from a large amount of testing data.
He says officials are learning more about the spread of the virus with greater testing capacity and a higher percentage of people are testing positive in targeted populations like long-term care facilities than at drive-thru sites.
The state has had 7,080 total cases and at least 2,649 of those individuals have recovered.
Five more Kentuckians have died from the virus, including a 74-year old female from Marshall County. The state has lost 326 people to COVID-19.
The 10-year old boy who has been critically ill with a rare inflammatory syndrome believed to be related to the coronavirus has been removed from a ventilator—news the governor says everyone should be pleased to hear.
Phase 3 of reopening the healthcare sector has begun and while that means more non-urgent services available with some restrictions in Kentucky, Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack says it also means hospitals at their own discretion can now allow patients a single visitor.
The governor announced Cookie Crews as the new Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Corrections. The 36-year veteran of corrections has been in the agency’s health services division for the last eight years. Crews says she’s honored to be chosen and vows to do her best to protect the health of incarcerated men and women in the commonwealth.
Tennessee gained 260 cases to 16,370 and nine more deaths to 273. Montgomery County gained three additional cases to 191, Robertson added one more to 245 and Stewart County remains at seven cases.