Daniella Tebib
News Editor
Andy Beshear announced the highest number of positive COVID-19 cases in a single day for Kentucky on the same day the Calloway County Health Department reported a second death related to COVID-19.
As of press time, Calloway County has reported a total of 123 cases with four hospitalized patients, 21 isolated at home and 96 recoveries, according to the press release. Beshear confirmed Kentucky’s highest number of cases in a single day with 979 people testing positive on Sunday, July 19. Of the new cases, 30 were children five years old or younger.
In total, Beshear said there are at least 23,161 cases in Kentucky and 670 deaths. The three new deaths reported by Beshear included a 67-year-old woman from Clark County, a 74-year-old woman from Jefferson County and a 58-year-old from Oldham County.
Beshear and Stack reminded Kentuckians of the new executive orders put in place on Friday, July 17 requiring the wearing of face masks or coverings.
“We typically have limited reporting on Sunday which makes today’s record-setting number of positives particularly alarming,” said Steven Stack, commissioner of the Department for Public Health. “In the interest of accuracy, we are going to reach out and confirm results with some of the major labs. Even so, this surge in positive cases is a shocking wake-up call. Kentucky has flattened the curve before and it must act immediately and decisively to flatten it again. Please, wear your mask and socially distance.”
The Kentucky Supreme Court decided to keep Beshear’s executive orders in place until the court can hear the full arguments from Beshear’s administration and Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who attempted to block the orders.
“Given the need for a clear and consistent statewide public health policy and recognizing that the Kentucky legislature has expressly given the Governor broad executive powers in a public health emergency, the court orders a stay of all orders of injunctive relief until such time as the various orders are properly before the court with a full record of any evidence and pleadings considered by the lower courts,” according to an order issued by the Kentucky Supreme Court on Friday, July 17.
Stay tuned with The News as more details become available.