The new cases raised the state's total to 12,829. The daily report shows that 395 people are currently hospitalized with the virus, 69 are in intensive care and 3,431 have recovered from it.
For many rural counties, the spikes in case numbers have stemmed from a few kinds of facilities and workplaces where COVID-19 has spread like wildfire: meatpacking plants, prisons, and nursing homes.
Public health officials are urging people to get tested for COVID-19 — in addition to frequent hand-washing, wearing a mask and social distancing — to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Some people with no symptoms have been infected but don’t know they carry the virus and could spread it to others.
In late April, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, "Practice social distancing and don’t be stigmatized by wearing a mask. It doesn't necessarily mean you’re sick; it means you're concerned about others."
Christian County is among seven Kentucky counties with an estimated rate of transmission greater than 1.1. Epidemiologists want the rate below 1, which would make the virus die out eventually.
