Bookmark this page for the latest news related to the coronavirus and its ramifications in our region. It’ll be updated as the news happens, every day.
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Oct. 28, 2020
RESTAURANTS AREN’T LOVING NEW RECOMMENDATIONS: Kentucky restaurants say they can expect to see an immediate loss in customers following the latest round of coronavirus recommendations from Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, according to the Kentucky Restaurant Association.
Restaurant Association President Stacy Roof she’s disheartened the governor’s office has singled out the restaurant industry in recommending takeout instead of dining in. It’s not necessarily good for the restaurant business, but Kentucky’s recommendations are in step with guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which consider on-site dining to be the highest risk for restaurant-goers. -Ryan Van Velzer
Oct. 27
TODAY’S NUMBERS: Gov. Andy Beshear on Tuesday announced another record day for confirmed COVID-19 cases:
- 1,786 new cases of coronavirus in KY today.
- 18 new deaths
- 913 people hospitalized with COVID
- 233 in ICU
- 115 on ventilators
- 5.97% positivity rate
Read more on yet another record-breaking day.
Screenshot MAYOR ON COVID: Louisville officials are asking residents to follow the new COVID-19 recommendations Gov. Andy Beshear issued Monday.
Mayor Greg Fischer described the new recommendations as “solid,” during a Tuesday morning news briefing. He did not say Louisville would break with the state in terms of recommendations or restrictions.
“Where we’re at right now as the city, is just to make sure that we continue to communicate, encourage people to wear their mask and just think first and foremost about more compliance, personal compliance,” Fischer said.
UK HOSPITALS PREP FOR SURGE: As Kentucky continues to post record high numbers of coronavirus cases, University of Kentucky HealthCare hospitals revealed plans to accommodate an expected spike of hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
UK’s Albert B. Chandler Hospital in Lexington treats COVID-19 patients from the city and some coronavirus patients have been transferred from other Kentucky hospitals.
Over the last two weeks, the hospitals have seen a sharp increase of 20 to 25 additional COVID-19 patients. Despite the rise, the hospitals have not reached bed capacity. –Corinne Boyer
Oct. 26
NEW RECOMMENDATIONS: More than half of Kentucky’s hospital beds are occupied and the state has not yet felt the full impact of last week’s record numbers of COVID-19.
“Folks, right now if a hospital accepts you as a COVID-19 patient… you are really sick,” Gov. Andy Beshear said. “So when you see this chart it means a lot of people are getting a lot sicker.”
The Commonwealth was one of the first states in the country to implement a mask mandate, and an 11 p.m. curfew remains in effect for bars and restaurants. Employers are limited to 50% capacity, gatherings of 10 or less are restricted, and long-term care sites continue to test and restrict visitation, among other measures.