199 new COVID-19 cases in Kentucky. $1.37 billion in jobless claims paid.

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andy-beshear-05-14-2

Gov. Andy Beshear announced at his daily briefing on Thursday that 199 cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) have been confirmed in Kentucky over the last 24 hours.

The newly confirmed cases increase the state’s total to 7,225. As reported earlier Thursday by K105, the only two new deaths in Kentucky are both Grayson County residents; an 82-year-old man and 95-year-old woman.

“Today, we have one of the lower numbers of deaths we have announced in a long time,” the governor said. “But it’s still two Kentuckians we have lost whose families are going to miss them just as much as if it were 10 today. Let’s make sure we honor two just as much as we’ve honored every other one.”

The two latest COVID-19-related deaths raise Kentucky’s death toll to 328 (4.5 percent fatality rate) victims.

At least 2,712 (37.5 percent) Kentuckians have recovered from the virus, and 121,246 tests have been administered in the state.

According to officials, 1,887 (26.1 percent) COVID-19 patients have been hospitalized, with 385 currently receiving care in a hospital. To date, 794 (11 percent) victims have been treated in ICU, with 220 people currently in intensive care.

Unemployment payment update

There are still 16,600 jobless claims in the state yet to be fully processed, as officials said the remaining claims arecomplex claims that may include identity verification, overpayments, employee protests, and interstate claims.”

Over a nine-week period beginning in March, 88 percent of the 576,486 claims were processed. The remaining initial April claims stand at 49,928.

A total of $1.37 billion in claims have been paid.

CARES Act Education Funding

Beshear also announced the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet has been awarded more than $43.7 million from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for education programs that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The federal grant is part of the governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER), authorized under the CARES Act. The emergency block grant will fund the needs of students, schools (including non-public schools), postsecondary institutions, and other education-related organizations in Kentucky.

“Kentucky schools are facing new challenges in how we educate our students during this time of crisis,” Beshear said. “Technology plays a vital role in how we educate during this pandemic. GEER funding will allow us to ensure that technology continues to be an aid, not a barrier, to providing a world-class education while keeping our educators and our learners safe at home.”

The federal funds include $30 million for K-12 technology assistance and food programs. The Kentucky Department of Education is working directly with school districts on their specific food costs and technology needs, and funds will be allocated accordingly to districts.

The remaining funds will be administered by the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education and used for relief in public and private higher education institutions.

By Ken Howlett, News Director

Contact Ken at ken@k105.com