As of 4 p.m. July 22, Gov. Beshear said there were at least 24,540 coronavirus cases in Kentucky, 518 of which were newly reported Wednesday. Fourteen new cases were from children ages 5 and younger.
“Our positivity rate has gone up. That is a concern and that shows it’s not just an increase in testing, it’s more people that are being tested are showing positive results,” the Governor said. “That’s why we’re going to do what it takes to defeat the coronavirus.”
Unfortunately, Gov. Beshear reported three new deaths Wednesday, raising the total to 677 Kentuckians lost to the virus.
The deaths reported Wednesday include a 69-year-old woman from Allen County, a 49-year-old woman from Simpson County and an 81-year-old man from Webster County.
“There are a couple of new counties that are experiencing loss. Let’s remember those green lights and those bells,” said Gov. Beshear. “I believe the families that lose their loved ones four months into this virus deserve our support just as much as those we lost earlier. The fewer people we can get infected, the fewer we will lose.”
As of Wednesday, there have been at least 560,161 coronavirus tests performed in Kentucky. The positivity rate currently stands at 4.92%.
At least 7,000 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus. On Wednesday, Gov. Beshear shared an inspiring story of recovery that was reported by WLKY.
“There are good signs out there. After being hospitalized for 116 days, Rhonda King, who is 56, has gone home after recovering from COVID-19,” said Gov. Beshear. “She was in a medically induced coma on a ventilator. Despite this, her husband called three times a day so she could hear his voice and he could remind her of her strength. Rhonda began to improve after receiving a plasma donation from a COVID-19 survivor. There are multiple heroes in this real-life story: our frontline heroes in the hospital and rehab center; her plasma donor; her husband, Anthony; and her, putting up that fight to defeat this virus.”
For additional information, including up-to-date lists of positive cases and deaths, as well as breakdowns of coronavirus infections by county, race and ethnicity, click here.
As a reminder, On Monday, Gov. Beshear’s administration issued a new travel advisory that recommends a 14-day self-quarantine for Kentuckians who travel to states and U.S. territories that are reporting a positive coronavirus testing rate equal to or greater than 15%. For an updated list of areas meeting that threshold, click here. In addition, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services issued a new order pulling back the guidance on gatherings to allow only for meet-ups of 10 or fewer people.