After not holding a coronavirus (COVID-19) briefing on Sunday, on Monday afternoon Gov. Andy Beshear reported 246 new cases of the virus had been diagnosed in Kentucky on Sunday and Monday.
The new confirmations increase the state’s total to 6,677 coronavirus victims. Seven new deaths were also reported, three on Sunday and four Monday. Kentucky has now lost 311 (4.7 percent fatality rate) victims to the virus.
The deaths on Sunday include a 67-year-old man from Allen County, and two women, ages 73 and 90, from Jefferson County. The deaths on Monday were a 72-year-old man from Bullitt County, a 69-year-old man from Henderson County, a 79-year-old woman from Hopkins County, and a 72-year-old woman from Jefferson County.
To date, 1,767 (26.5 percent) victims have been hospitalized, with 383 patients currently receiving care in a hospital. The number of victims ever treated in ICU is 768 (11.5 percent), with 220 people currently in intensive care.
At least 2,335 (35 percent) Kentuckians have recovered from the virus and 104,001 COVID-19 tests have been administered in the commonwealth.
Emerging syndrome in children
Beshear and Dr. Steven Stack, Commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health, addressed a troubling new case involving a child, as the governor said a 10-year-old child in Kentucky is on a ventilator due to complications from COVID-19.
Dr. Stack spoke about a new syndrome that is being recognized around the nation in young people, saying, “For parents, you should take great comfort that children overall do extraordinarily well with this and do not have serious illness,” said Dr. Stack. “However, there are a small number of children who can get a syndrome where their immune system becomes overactive and they have an extensive inflammatory response in their body.”
Dr. Stack said the disease is still out there and is still a danger and we must continue to take the steps to protect each other and follow the guidance issued.
400 test positive at Green River Correctional Complex
Beshear and J. Michael Brown, secretary of the Governor’s executive cabinet, discussed efforts to treat and prevent COVID-19 cases at the Green River Correctional Complex in Central City.
Brown said 1,081 inmates and staff have been tested at the minimum/medium security prison, with 350 inmates and 50 employees testing positive.
“Once we got universal testing done we began a new housing plan that separates inmates into four groups: positive, negative with direct exposure, negative with no direct-exposure and negative and medically vulnerable,” Brown said. “We’re also doing more thermometer checks and making sure that inmates have access to both phones and showers.”
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
