Six more employees of Western State Hospital have tested positive for COVID-19, and more cases could be confirmed this week as state officials await the results of 139 tests performed on staff.
Gov. Andy Beshear announced the newly confirmed cases at the psychiatric hospital in Hopkinsville during his Wednesday briefing.
In all, 22 Western State employees and 13 patients have been diagnosed with the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Last week, two patients died of complications from COVID-19.
The number of people who have tested positive countywide increased to 79, the Christian County Health Department announced Wednesday. That includes 40 active cases and 36 recovered cases. Three people in Christian County have died, including the two cases out of Western State Hospital.
Locally, the number of confirmed, active cases by age group are:
- Pediatric (0-21): 1
- Young Adult-Middle Age (22-59): 23
- Older Adult (60-84): 16
- Elderly (85+): 0
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
