Kentucky Health News
While announcing only one new death from covid-19 on Tuesday and a positive test rate dipping below 4% for the first time since mid-July, Gov. Andy Beshear also urged caution.
The share of Kentuckians testing positive for the virus over a seven-day rolling average dropped to 3.91% Tuesday; the last time the rate was below 4% was July 14, at 3.95%.
“Remember, if we can get, especially below four and stay below four, if we can be going down, then we're in a place where we have a lot more opportunity and it is a lot safer,” Beshear said at his daily briefing, all while cautioning that this low rate could be the result of limited Labor Day reporting.
Public health officials consider a rate of 5% or greater dangerous because it increases the risk of community spread of the virus. Anything less than 5% is to be celebrated.
Today’s single death of a 79-year-old man from Lewis County brings the state’s death toll to 988, inching the state closer to the grim milestone of 1,000 lives lost.
“It is going to be a difficult month,” Beshear said. “Last week was the deadliest week in terms of lost lives that we had and we're going to see more of that moving forward.”
Last week the state reported its highest number of weekly cases yet, 4,742. This was the fourth week in a row the state reported over 4,000 cases. In that same week, Aug. 31 to Sept. 6, the state reported 66 deaths.
Today, Beshear highlighted the loss of Gaynell Howard of Louisville, reminding Kentuckians that even though she was 89-years-old, she was the mother of two sons and a grandmother to five grandchildren and a great-grandmother to four.
Beshear said the last time her family spoke to her was March 9 after Treyton Oak Tower, where Gaynell lived, stopped visits because of the virus. Howard died April 13 from the virus.
“These are real people that we love and that we care about. Not just numbers, not something to argue about whether it's real or not real," Beshear said. "And don't tell anybody in her family ‘Oh, she was old.’ She's special. She had more years left in this world and they were taken from that family because of covid-19.”
Beshear announced 273 new cases of the coronavirus on Tuesday, again saying that that number may also be artificially low because of the holiday weekend and will likely increase as the week progresses.
Currently 510 Kentuckians are hospitalized with the virus, 130 are in intensive care and 74 are on ventilators. Sen. Gerald Neal, D-Louisville is one of those newly hospitalized with covid-10.
The Louisville Courier-Journal reports that his prognosis is good and that he went to the hospital Monday as a precaution, according to Senate Minority Leader Morgan McGarvey, D-Louisville.
“Gerald Neal has fought for his community and civil rights for over 30 years in the state Senate and this is not going to slow him down, particularly at a time like this,” McGarvey told the Courier Journal late Monday evening.
State Rep. Attica Scott, a Democrat from Louisville, announced a positive test Monday. Beshear said Scott has not needed to be hospitalized and has put herself into the required quarantine.
The ongoing debate about the seriousness of the virus played out at the Capitol Tuesday as a group of Fayette County parents and students protested against virtual learning.
WKYT reports that a Facebook group called “Let Them Learn in Fayette County” organized the event. The group has more than 1,500 members. WKYT News Staff and Grason Passmore report that the members said they are frustrated with virtual learning and are calling on lawmakers and education leaders to reopen classrooms to in-person learning. The few dozen protesters carried signs saying, “Let Me Learn” and “I need school.”
In response to questions at the press conference, Beshear said he was concerned, but optimistic that schools will open safely with in-person learning by the state’s goal of Sept. 28.
As he often does, Beshear singled out Warren County because of its high daily case count, announcing 42 today. Warren County was one of the first school districts to open with in-person instruction.
Other counties with more than 10 new cases were Fayette, 59; Jefferson, 50; Madison, 13; and Marshall, 11.
Beshear also mentioned Marshall County, but praised school officials there for reporting cases as all school districts have been asked to do.
“While I disagree with that school system going back when they did, it does appear that they are publicly reporting cases,” he said. “That's a good thing. That's showing responsibility. (I) hope they're working with the local health department to make sure that the right and responsible decisions are made. But certainly, that reporting suggests that that process is being followed.”
As schools face the challenge of allowing students back into the classroom, Beshear reminded them that no district is likely to have a straight path to success. He said he expects many may experience what happened in Green County, which opened schools to in-person learning, but switched to virtual learning following a spike in new cases.
There are currently 334 active cases of the virus among students in grades K-12, with 137 active cases in faculty or staff. Beshear said these include 10 new students and three new staff. Among 31 Kentucky colleges or universities with at least one case of the virus, 63 more students tested positive. The daily report shows 1,020 active student cases and 36 active cases among faculty or staff.
Again, Beshear said wearing masks is the key to a safe transition back to school, among other activities.
“This is our greatest tool,” said Beshear, while holding up a black mask, “our most important tool to getting back to everything that we want to do, about getting back to in-person classes.”
In other covid-19 news:
- Beshear announced 546 active cases among residents of long-term care facilities and 340 active cases in long-term care staff.
- Beshear said 13 new child care centers have reported at least one positive case of the virus, including 10 more staff and five more children.
- Politico reports that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has announced Republican leadership will unveil a new covid-19 relief bill. The bill apparently will include an extension of the Paycheck Protection Program, postal service aid, school money and more enhanced unemployment insurance, which are among points of agreement between parties. The authors report that Democratic leadership has rejected the bill even before its details were released. Beshear said he was unaware of the specifics in McConnell’s proposal but said if federal dollars aren’t made available to offset state and local deficits, Kentucky state government could see budget cuts as high as 8%. “I mean, we've already cut through the muscle, they would cut deep into the bone,” he said. Click here for McConnell's press release on the "targeted covid-19 relief"
- Beshear also announced the details of the Heatlhy at Home Eviction Relief Fund, for renters and landlords to use to apply for financial assistance via an online application. The fund was created from $15 million in federal CARES Act money as a way to make sure renters have a home and to safeguard landlords against financial hardship. . Beshear said the funds are available on a first come first serve basis and require both the renter and landlord to submit an application. Jefferson County residents will need to apply for a separate relief fund, he said. Click here for the application: teamkyhherf.ky.gov. Jefferson County residents should connect with the Louisville/Jefferson County Eviction Prevention Covid-19 Relief Fund. The Team Kentucky Fund is also available to help Kentuckians pay rent.
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