Hoptown

Direct contacts are placed under quarantine and have to monitor their symptoms for 14 days — regardless if they receive a negative test in the meantime.

Beshear said the state remains in "a danger zone, but again with the time to do things right." In a new suggestion, he said businesses could help by letting more of their employees work from home.

The deceased was a 65-year-old Black man. A health department spokeswoman said his case was not related to any community clusters or facilities.

The Christian County Health Department announced early Thursday that the site would be closed.

The state announced 619 new cases on Wednesday, up from 590 the day before and 522 Monday, but nowhere near the second highest number of 836 reported Saturday.

Those planning to register with the league's assistance should have their Social Security number.

So far this month, 279 new cases have been reported — more than half of all local cases confirmed since the first positive test in mid-March.

Tuesday brought hopeful signs. The seven-day rolling average for the positive test rate fell to 5.08%, the first time it's gone down in four days, and the seven-day average of daily new cases fell to 590. Four days before, it had been 668, more than triple the average of 220 on July 1.

Christian County Health Department Spokeswoman Amanda Sweeney stressed in a news release Tuesday that a negative test does not end the quarantine period for individuals who've been exposed to someone with COVID-19.

The report brings the county's total of confirmed cases since the pandemic began locally to 485. Of those, 185 are active and 295 are recovered, according to the health department.

"We are still at higher levels than we've ever been, but the fact that we are seeing that decline over the last few weeks is very important," said Dana Quesinberry, research core director for the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center. "There is hope that we are making progress again, so whatever triggered the increase is being managed or mitigated in some way." 

As of Sunday, 40% of all Christian County coronavirus cases confirmed since the pandemic began locally were active.