Regional & State Archives

Beshear says he will likely extend the state’s mandatory mask order

by Dalton York
July 28, 2020

Beshear reported 532 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday, bringing the statewide total to 28,128. The new cases include 21 children under age 5, with the youngest being 2 months old. Beshear said the state’s positivity rate dropped slightly to 5.08%.

Ky. secretary of state opposed to allowing mail-in ballots for all voters in November

by Ryland Barton
July 28, 2020

About 75 percent of ballots cast in the June primary were by mail, when the state allow no-excuse absentee voting by mail.

Beshear closes bars for 2 weeks, limits restaurant capacity to 25%

by Sydni Anderson
July 27, 2020

The steps are among those recommended by the White House to prevent the spread of the virus.

Data and health directors’ observations suggest that pandemic lockdown increased overdoses, which declined as state reopened

by Kentucky Health News
July 27, 2020

"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."

White House adviser meets with Beshear; governor says he’ll announce new restrictions Monday to slow coronavirus

by Ryland Barton
July 26, 2020

The state’s positivity rate — the number of coronavirus tests that come back positive compared to the total number of tests — has steadily increased and is at its highest point in recent months, 5.41%.

Coronavirus cases and positive-test rates surge, pushing Ky into a red zone that governor says calls for more restrictions

by Melissa Patrick
July 25, 2020

Dr. Steven Stack, the state's public health commissioner, said Kentucky can still avoid the crisis confronting other states, referring to states that are running out of intensive care beds and seeing increasing deaths due to the virus.

Beshear asks churches to drop in-person services and says he will limit some business activity Monday if the coronavirus surges don’t abate

by Test and Eric Umansky
July 24, 2020

The governor reported 797 new cases of the coronavirus Friday, raising the seven-day rolling average to 631, which is 38 higher than yesterday. The only higher daily total was 979, reported Sunday.

Nashville among 11 US cities that White House privately warns should take ‘aggressive’ action to protect against coronavirus outbreaks

by Alexander Sundermann
July 24, 2020

Dr. Deborah Birx told hundreds of emergency managers and other state and local leaders that they should act quickly to stem the outbreaks. Among her recommendations were to trace the contacts of patients testing positive for COVID-19 in areas where test positivity is going up.

Christian County Health Department reports 80-year-old man is fifth to die from coronavirus complications

by Jennifer P. Brown
July 24, 2020

Nine new cases of COVID-19 reported Friday, pushing county's total to 471.

Beshear says he wouldn’t ask teachers to return to classrooms now, may ask schools to delay start

by Al Cross
July 23, 2020

Beshear reported 611 new cases of the coronavirus Thursday, raising the seven-day rolling average to 593, more than double what it was on July 7, as the surge was beginning.

Health departments adapt staffing to meet demands of the pandemic in Western Kentucky

by Dalton York
July 23, 2020

Following a staffing shift to address COVID-19 demands, some traditional Christian County Health Department programming originally put on hold is now resuming in an online format.

Hospitalizations and positive test rates increase; daily cases fall, but 7-day average inches up

by Test and Eric Umansky
July 22, 2020

Beshear said the share of Kentuckians testing positive for the virus in the last seven days was 4.92 percent, also the highest since those days, when tests were largely limited to people with symptoms.