This marks the sixth year for Hopkinsville's walking challenge, an idea Wally Bryan brought to the health department in hopes it would help local residents improve their health.
Gov. Andy Beshear, noting the observance of Labor Day, said the best way to honor nurses, doctors and others on the front line of the pandemic is to follow the guidelines that curb the virus' spread, including wearing a mask and social distancing.
"We've said over and over and over: 'This is not about politics. It's purely about public health and if we don't do it, we're going to pay a consequence and more people will get sick. When they get sick, they'll go to the hospital, some people will die.'" — Dr. Steven Stack
The state's seven-day rolling average of daily new cases was 689, more than two and a half times what it was four months ago. It exceeded 700 for the first time on three days last week.
Health professionals urge the use of masks because they reduce the spread of droplets that are expelled when a person breathes, coughs and sneezes. The virus is carried in droplets.
Saturday's case count brought the seven-day rolling average down by five, to 710. Gov. Andy Beshear said 98 of the infections are in Kentuckians 18 and younger.
As the county sees the lowest seven-day rolling average in nearly two months, health officials urge residents to continue following guidelines in order to avoid another post-holiday weekend surge.
While the county has seen an apparent plateau recently, more than a third of all coronavirus cases since the pandemic began in mid-March have been reported within the last month.
