FRANKFORT, Ky. – There were 2,318 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, and 80 counties were in the red zone, 12 more than last week, Gov. Andy Beshear announced. He said this is the most dangerous period of the pandemic so far: Thursday’s new cases report is one of Kentucky’s highest ever, second only to the day Beshear reported a significant backlog from Fayette County. Yesterday, the United States recorded more than 100,000 new daily cases, the first time any country in the world has done so.
“This means we just need more out of everybody,” Beshear said. “It’s got to be a concerted community effort everywhere; this virus is out of control.”
The governor also announced new support for bars, restaurants and temporary venues to help them save costs as COVID-19 rages across the commonwealth, with indoor dining discouraged, and as the weather gets colder, limiting outdoor seating.
The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control is granting a 12-month fee renewal waiver to current licensees. Licensees who have not yet renewed in 2020 will be granted relief until their 2021 renewal date. Those who have already paid for 2020 will have their fees waived in 2021.
The fee waiver does not apply to producers, distributors, wholesalers and others that were able to continue operations throughout the state of emergency.
The governor also applauded the Department of Fish and Wildlife for providing innovative online educational opportunities for children, parents, caregivers and educators during the pandemic. Salato Wildlife Education Center’s Facebook live educational programming and other virtual learning resources can be found on the department’s website fw.ky.gov and social media accounts.
Case Information
As of 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, Beshear reported the following COVID-19 numbers:
- New cases today: 2,318
- New deaths today: 20
- Positivity rate: 6.50%
- Total deaths: 1,534
- Currently hospitalized: 1,102
- Currently in ICU: 291
- Currently on ventilator: 129
Top counties with the most positive cases today are: Jefferson, Fayette, Kenton, Hardin, Boone, Nelson and Boyd.
The new red zone counties for this upcoming week can be found here.
Those reported lost to the virus today include an 81-year-old woman from Boyd County; a 71-year-old man from Breckinridge County; a 52-year-old man from Bullitt County; an 83-year-old man from Carroll County; two women, ages 86 and 94, from Christian County; a 76-year-old man from Daviess County; a 75-year-old woman from Fayette County; four women, ages 78, 83, 90 and 102, and three men, ages 62, 78 and 80, from Jefferson County; a 93-year-old man from Laurel County; an 81-year-old man from Marshall County; an 81-year-old woman and an 83-year-old man from Martin County; and a 71-year-old woman from Muhlenberg County.
The governor encouraged Kentuckians to take advantage of free COVID-19 testing the Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) is offering in collaboration with local and federal partners. To see the new free COVID-19 testing partnership locations and hours, click here. To see all COVID-19 testing locations in the commonwealth, click here.
Secretary of the Executive Cabinet, J. Michael Brown, updated Kentuckians on COVID-19 in the commonwealth’s correctional facilities. There have been 1,255 total inmate cases in Department of Corrections (DOC) prisons, 214 of which are active. There have been 221 COVID-19 cases among DOC staffers and 34 of those cases are active. With each positive case, staff or inmate, the DOC works closely with KDPH to determine testing needs.
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