Gov. Beshear: Another Frightening, Record Day for New COVID-19 Cases

Positivity rate remains above 9.1%; nearly 4,000 new cases reported

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Nov. 20, 2020) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear once again reported the state’s highest ever number of new daily cases.

“This is exponential growth. It is shattering records over and over until we stop it. That’s why we are taking action – we have to,” said Gov. Beshear. “We’ve got more than 10,000 students quarantined right now just based on the last two weeks alone. We’ve got to do so much better.

“That’s why starting at 5 p.m. today, we’ve got new restrictions in place to help us slow down this speeding train and prevent avoidable death. Remember, your decisions are going to be what determines how many people live or die. Do your part.”

New requirements impact restaurants; bars; social gatherings; indoor fitness and recreation centers; venues and theaters; professional services; and schools. See the full executive orders here and here.

Audio public service announcements about the new requirements (created in partnership with RadioLex) are published here in: Bosnian, Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Spanish and Russian.

Case Information
As of 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, Gov. Beshear reported the following COVID-19 numbers:

  • New cases today: 3,825
  • New deaths today: 20
  • Positivity rate: 9.15%
  • Total deaths: 1,762
  • Currently hospitalized: 1,544
  • Currently in ICU: 366
  • Currently on ventilator: 188

Top counties with the most positive cases today are: Jefferson, Fayette, Boyd, Boone and Kenton. Each of these counties reported more than 100 new cases.

The red zone counties for this week can be found here. Community leaders, businesses, schools and families in these counties should all follow red zone reduction recommendations.

Those reported lost to the virus today include a 74-year-old woman and a 68-year-old man from Boone County; a 54-year-old man from Boyd County; an 88-year-old woman from Campbell County; two 85-year-old men from Fayette County; two women, ages 74 and 90, and an 82-year-old man from Hardin County; four women, ages 69, 86, 87 and 91, and two men, ages 80 and 92, from Jefferson County; a 77-year-old woman from Johnson County; a 93-year-old woman from Marshall County; a 93-year-old man from Nelson County; a 71-year-old man from Pike County; and a 72-year-old woman from Washington County.

Thanksgiving Guidance
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends Americans avoid Thanksgiving travel. In addition to avoiding travel, the Kentucky Department for Public Health recommends:

More Information
To view the full daily report, incidence rate map, new statewide requirements, testing locations, long term-care and other congregate facilities update, school reports and guidance, red zone counties, red zone recommendations, the White House Coronavirus Task Force reports for Kentucky and other key guidance visit, kycovid19.ky.gov.

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