FRANKFORT, Ky. — In his Saturday news briefing, Ky. Gov. Andy Beshear said that the most recent COVID-19 report is “in a word, frightening."
He said it’s the highest day of newly reported cases by a significant amount. Only Oct. 7, when 1,426 backlogged Fayette County cases were processed on top of the daily 942-case total, had more.
“This is exploding all over the country," Beshear said. "Yesterday was the highest amount of cases ever reported in a single day in the United States. We've got to do better, and on Monday we'll be talking about new recommendations to counties that are in the red. We've got to tamp down these cases. The more cases, the more people that end up in the hospital and the more people die.”
According to Saturday’s report, there are 1,738 new cases statewide and eight new deaths, which brings Kentucky's pandemic death total to 1,404. The state’s positivity rate is 5.63%. 803 Kentuckians are currently hospitalized, with 208 in the ICU and 107 of those people on ventilators.
“Do what it takes to protect your neighbor, to protect their life,” Beshear said. “That's what we're fighting for now — life and death.”
The counties with the most positive cases on Saturday are Jefferson, Fayette, Elliott, Shelby and Kenton.
“We’re all tired of COVID-19 and the problems it has brought,” said Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Department for Public Health. “People are hurting, whether from the virus itself or the impact it has had on the rest of our lives. It’s all worse, though, when we don’t do simple things like wearing masks and socially distancing. As October comes to a close, please be kind to each other and remember that we help each other, and ourselves, when we focus on defeating the virus rather than arguing with each other.”
