KY COVID-19 Update: Sunday, Oct. 18

DEM Blogger

October 19, 2020

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 18, 2020) – Gov. Andy Beshear on Sunday updated Kentuckians on the state’s continuing efforts to fight the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19).

“Once again, we are seeing our case numbers growing instead of shrinking and we must do better,” Gov. Beshear said. “All of the things that we want to do, like fully reengaging our economy and getting our children back to in-person instruction, is dependent on everyone taking this virus a lot more seriously. Mask up, maintain social distance, wash your hands frequently, keep gatherings to no more than 10 people and avoid traveling to virus hotspots. We can get where we need to be but only together as Team Kentucky.”

Case Information
As of 2 p.m. Oct. 18, Gov. Beshear announced at least 87,607 coronavirus cases in Kentucky, 812 of which were newly reported Sunday. One hundred and sixteen of the newly reported cases were from children up through age 18, of which 28 were 5 and under. The youngest was just 1 month old.

The Governor announced five more deaths on Sunday, bringing the death total to 1,317. The reported deaths included a 76-year-old man from Boyd County; a 73-year-old woman from Fayette County; a 67-year-old man from Greenup County; a 91-year-old woman from Lincoln County; and a 91-year-old woman from Marion County.

“That’s five more families grieving another loved one lost to the coronavirus,” the Governor said. “Let’s remember to light our houses and businesses up green to show them we care and ring bells at 10 a.m. to honor these Kentuckians taken from us too soon.”

“As presented over the course of the past week, starting tomorrow, Kentucky will use COVID-19 PCR tests that are sent electronically to calculate the statewide test positivity rate,” said Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Department for Public Health. “PCR tests are the most reliable test for finding active disease in those currently infected and more than 90% of all COVID-19 tests currently performed in Kentucky are PCR tests.”

Dr. Stack reiterated the four main benefits of using electronically reported PCR tests to calculate the positivity rate: automated collection of data, a more stable data stream, filtered for the past seven days and a quick turnaround on testing results.

“We are in a once-in-a-century global pandemic. Lives are continuing to be affected and lives are being lost to this virus,” said Dr. Stack. “Each Kentuckian has to do their part to limit the spread: socially distance, wear masks and practice good hand hygiene.”

Due to limited reporting on Sundays, some information will be delayed until Monday.

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. To see all recent daily reports, click here.

Information about COVID-19 and schools is also being made available. To view the reports, click here for K-12 and here for colleges and universities.

More Information
Read about other key updates, actions and information from Gov. Beshear and his administration at governor.ky.gov, kycovid19.ky.gov and the Governor’s official social media accounts Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Kentuckians can also access translated COVID-19 information and daily summaries of the Governor’s news conference at teamkentuckytranslations.com.

###