Governor Andy Beshear
FRANKFORT, KY – On Thursday, October 29, 2020 Gov. Andy Beshear urged every Kentuckian in 68 red zone counties to up their game in the fight against COVID-19 and follow nine recommendations beginning Monday, Nov. 2, through Sunday, Nov. 8, to reduce the spread of COVID-19 as cases flare in those areas.
“This is a type of outbreak where we can’t deny our way out of it, we can’t rationalize our way out of it, we can’t try to find excuses for not following the guidance,” said Gov. Beshear.
Schools, businesses, community leaders and Kentuckians in red zone counties – published every Thursday afternoon on kycovid19.ky.gov – should follow the below recommendations the upcoming week.
Red Zone Reduction Recommendations:
- Employers should allow employees to work from home when possible
- Government offices that do not provide critical services need to operate virtually
- Reduce in-person shopping; order online or pickup curbside as much as possible
- Order take-out; avoid dining in restaurants or bars
- Prioritize businesses that follow and enforce the mask mandate and other guidelines
- Reschedule, postpone or cancel public events
- Do not host or attend gatherings of any size
- Avoid non-essential activities outside your home
- Reduce overall activity and contacts, and follow existing guidance, including the 10 Steps to Defeat COVID-19
The Governor said that new White House guidance suggests “current transmissions are linked to home gatherings,” where Americans are not as likely to wear masks around people from outside of their household. With broad community spread and transmission in the state, the Governor said it is crucial that communities work together to follow these new recommendations on top of existing requirements.
Case Information
As of 4 p.m. Thursday, Gov. Beshear reported the following COVID-19 numbers:
- New cases today: 1,821
- New deaths today: 19
- Positivity rate: 6.04%
- Total deaths: 1,461
- Currently hospitalized: 969
- Currently in ICU: 234
- Currently on ventilator: 120
The Governor noted this is the highest number of new cases ever reported on a Thursday, and the third-highest number of new cases ever reported in a single day.
The top counties with the most positive cases today are: Jefferson, Fayette, Hardin, Kenton and Warren.
Today’s red zone counties are listed here, alphabetically and by incidence rate.
Those reported lost to the virus today include a 68-year-old man from Adair County; a 75-year-old man from Calloway County; a 93-year-old man from Casey County; an 81-year-old man from Daviess County; a 65-year-old man from Fayette County; two women, ages 83 and 88, and two men, ages 88 and 90, from Jefferson County; a 73-year-old man from Jessamine County; a 72-year-old man from Lee County; a 61-year-old woman from McLean County; an 80-year-old woman from Meade County; a 71-year-old man from Muhlenberg County; a 68-year-old woman from Rowan County; a 58-year-old man from Russell County; a 68-year-old woman from Shelby County; an 87-year-old woman from Warren County; and an 89-year-old woman from Whitley County.
Gov. Beshear reminds Kentuckians to light their homes and businesses up green to show compassion for those lost to COVID-19.
