At Gov. Andy Beshear’s daily coronavirus (COVID-19) briefing on Tuesday, the governor reported Kentucky has nearly 4,400 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 225 deaths.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the state reported 4,375 cases of the virus. Over the previous 24 hours, 230 cases of COVID-19 were confirmed, with 12 new deaths.
The governor said Tuesday’s deaths come from Kenton (4), Jefferson (2), Graves (2), Campbell (2), Adair (1), and Russell (1) counties. Tuesday’ newly confirmed cases are from 40 Kentucky counties, including nearby Butler, Hopkins, Muhlenberg, Ohio, and Meade counties.
Beshear said 1,331 (30.4 percent) victims have been hospitalized with the virus, with 320 currently in a hospital. Six-hundred-twenty-five (14.3 percent) people have been treated in ICU, while 170 victims are currently in intensive care.
Victims who have recovered from the virus now number 1,617 (37 percent). Over 52,000 people in Kentucky have been tested for COVID-19, an increase of nearly 4,000 tests since Monday.
Reopening the economy and masks
With Beshear ready to begin reopening the state’s economy on May 11, on Monday, he said masks should be worn beginning on that date by anyone entering a business, and that business employees will be required to wear masks, or risk the business being temporarily shut down.
“This is something that we’re going to be very, very strongly recommending to the public,” he said Tuesday. “You really need to do it to protect one another. And this is something in businesses, for employees, that is gonna be mandatory. Because you can’t bring people together in that area safely, and depending on the settings, without it. Now, if you’re sitting alone in your office with the door closed, that’s one thing, but remember, these congregate settings, it’s really important to stop the spread.,” the governor said.”
Dr. Steven Stack, Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Public Health, said that N95 respirator masks and other respirator masks, surgical masks, and procedural masks should not be worn by the general public but should be reserved for healthcare workers.
He instead recommended people use cloth masks or bandanas. The governor played this video showing how a mask can be made at home.
Stack said the mask should cover one’s nose and mouth. He added that it would be good to have more than one mask and launder them every few of days.
Commencing the gradual reopening of Kentucky’s economy on Monday, April 27, the state eased restrictions in hospital and medical settings, as well as dental, chiropractor and optometry offices, among others.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
