Health

One measure Beshear could mandate is the wearing of face masks, a step that is highly controversial despite proof that it curbs the spread of the virus. Such orders have been issued by governors in at least 19 other states, including West Virginia.

The previous one-day high was 322, except the 625 reported on May 5, when the total included 309 cases found over many days of testing at a Western Kentucky prison. 

The state's daily report said 433 Kentuckians are hospitalized and 109 of them are in intensive care, apparently the most yet. Beshear has said that in addition to maintaining a plateau of new cases, hospitalizations and intensive-care cases are important metrics to watch as the state tries to function during a pandemic.

The state's non-hospital public-health expenses per resident dropped 32 percent, more than any state but South Carolina and Nevada, which dropped 55 and 33 percent, respectively.

Young people are the least likely to be hospitalized or die from COVID-19, but they can spread it for days without having any symptoms.

Kentucky reported 299 new cases of coronavirus Friday, one of the highest daily numbers yet.