Regional & State

"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.

The Kentucky-bred colt Authentic gave trainer Bob Baffert his sixth win in the Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs.

One member of the anti-BLM group handed out cans of wasp and insect killer and said, “It’s better than mace.”

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.

In one bit of good news, the share of Kentuckians testing positive in the last seven days dropped to 4.53%, from 4.7% Wednesday.

In the past three days, there have been 36 deaths related to COVID-19 in Kentucky.

Derby officials initially wanted to have some fans in attendance for the most exciting two minutes in sports, the steady increase of coronavirus cases in Louisville and Kentucky prevented that from happening.

Beshear reported 807 news cases of the coronavirus Tuesday, 150 of those were in children under 18 and of those, 50 were 17 or 18. The youngest was only 27 days old. 

Leaders of the legislature's Republican majorities have said Beshear should have consulted with them before making major moves, such as his July 9 order to wear masks in indoor public spaces and outdoors when six feet of distance can't be maintained. The governor has said Republicans dislike the highly public role he is playing and are politically motivated.

Beshear reported 462 new coronavirus cases and nine more COVID-19 deaths, raising the state's death toll to 930.

Ahead of Kentucky Derby Week, the state health commissioner urged people to consider how they will celebrate. He said previous holiday celebrations, and the outcomes, are reasons to be cautious.