FRANKFORT, Ky. — Gov. Andy Beshear on Monday updated Kentuckians on the state’s continuing efforts to fight the novel coronavirus 2019.
Gov. Beshear conducted Monday’s news conference remotely as he and his family quarantine in the Governor’s Mansion after they were potentially exposed to COVID-19 late Saturday afternoon through a member of the Governor’s security detail.
To watch the Governor’s video message about his quarantining, click here. To view the full news release on the issue, click here.
The Governor and his family have tested negative and continue to feel well. The Beshear family will be tested regularly and will remain in quarantine until cleared by the Kentucky Department for Public Health.
“We’re doing great. I’m feeling great, my family feels great. We are trying to be really positive about this situation,” the Governor said. “We want to thank everybody who has sent their well wishes, not just for my health but also for the member of my security detail who tested positive. We’re all trying to do our best to get through this together.”
He added that the security detail member was experiencing mild symptoms but doing well.
Case Information – Monday, Oct. 12
As of 4 p.m. Oct. 12, Gov. Beshear said there were at least 80,930 coronavirus cases in Kentucky, 643 of which were newly reported Monday. Ninety-four of the newly reported cases were from children up to age 18, of which 18 were age 5 and under. The youngest was just 4 months old.
“Today, our escalations continue. This is the highest number of cases we’ve ever had on a Monday. Remember, Sundays and Mondays usually have fewer cases than most of the rest of the week, because of the lab schedules,” the Governor said. “We’ve got to do better. We’ve got to make sure we’re following these safety practices and we’ve got to spread out the number of contacts we have in any given day and any given week.”
Unfortunately, Gov. Beshear reported three new deaths Monday, raising the total to 1,255 Kentuckians lost to the virus.
The deaths reported Monday include a 79-year-old man from Boyd County; a 67-year-old woman from Fayette County; and a 61-year-old man from Grayson County.
“Let’s continue to light our houses up green until we don’t have to anymore,” said Gov. Beshear.
As of Monday, there have been at least 1,679,411 coronavirus tests performed in Kentucky. The positivity rate was 4.37 percent and at least 13,651 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus.
For additional information, including up-to-date lists of positive cases and deaths, as well as breakdowns of coronavirus infections by county, race and ethnicity, click here. To see all recent daily reports, click here.
Information about COVID-19 and schools is also being made available. To view the reports, click here for K-12 and here for colleges and universities.
Case Information – Sunday, Oct. 11
Due to limited reporting on the weekends, some updated information is now available from Sunday, Oct. 11.
As of Sunday, there were 1,651,468 coronavirus tests performed in Kentucky. The positivity rate was at 4.32 percent and at least 13,573 Kentuckians had recovered from the virus.
For a detailed look at coronavirus case information from Sunday, Oct. 11, click here.
Dr. Stack Update
Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health, offered detailed information Monday about the state of the coronavirus in the commonwealth.
Dr. Stack highlighted a news story by WLKY about a junior at Ballard High School in Louisville who is in an intensive-care unit months after contracting COVID-19. Taylor Crites’ mother shared a social media post about her daughter’s ordeal to show the public that “children are not immune” to coronavirus. Taylor tested positive for coronavirus in June and thought she had recovered. Since then, however, she has suffered cardiac and inflammatory symptoms that her doctors say were caused by COVID-19.
“This is a young, healthy, athletic person who started developing symptoms for the post-inflammatory problems that happen after COVID-19,” Dr. Stack said. “So I would urge everybody, please, this is not the time to be dismissive or cavalier about it. It’s time to double our efforts and realize how much disease is in the community and how much it spreads.”
He also emphasized the importance of people quarantining like the first family when they are called by contact tracers about a possible exposure to the disease.
“We should be very grateful for the Governor here is obviously doing what he believes to be best for his family and those around them,” Dr. Stack said. “But importantly, he’s also doing what’s right for the state of Kentucky, to prevent any risk of him spreading infection should he turn positive, but also to model the good behavior that we ask of everyone else.”
Team Kentucky Fund Update
Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman provided an update Monday on the Team Kentucky Fund, which has provided more than $1 million to Kentuckians in need during the pandemic.
“This money is a lifesaver for our friends, family members and neighbors in every county in Kentucky,” the Lieutenant Governor said. “I applaud the generosity of so many Kentuckians who have given to the Team Kentucky Fund. You are displaying the Team Kentucky spirit during uncertain times.”
She said that, so far, 1,308 households have been helped by the fund, with the average assistance to each household being $781. Nearly two-thirds, or $675,000, has helped Kentuckians pay rent or mortgage payments. Other major areas of funding include more than $150,000 for groceries, more than $132,000 for electric bills, more than $43,000 for natural gas, sewage, propane and waste.
Those who have been financially harmed by COVID-19 can visit TeamKYFund.ky.gov to apply for funding.
“We still have a need for applications particularly in many rural areas of the state,” Lt. Gov. Coleman said.
Those wishing to donate to the Team Kentucky Fund can visit donate.ky.gov to give. Each gift is tax-deductible and 100% goes directly to Kentuckians.
More Information
Read about other key updates, actions and information from Gov. Beshear and his administration at governor.ky.gov, kycovid19.ky.gov and the Governor’s official social media accounts Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Kentuckians can also access translated COVID-19 information and summaries of the Governor’s news conferences at teamkentuckytranslations.com.