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625 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday, highest single day increase in Kentucky

Posted at 5:22 PM, May 05, 2020
and last updated 2020-05-06 13:42:08-04

FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — Governor Andy Beshear announced 5,822 COVID-19 cases and 275 coronavirus-related deaths in the state of Kentucky.

Tuesday is the highest single day increase of COVID-19 cases with 625. Governor Beshear mentioned that 309 of those cases are from inmates or staff members at the Green River Correctional Complex.

"Our first test came back positive from Green River on March 25th, that was to staff" said J. Michael Brown. "Then on March 28th we had another two staff come back and report positive. Exactly 30 days ago we had our first inmate case that came back. Last week with our concentrated testing in tact, we are now able to have a total of 1,081 total people tested at that facility."

"Now because we have 1,029 of those tests return, we only have 52 remaining. What that means is that we have a complete snapshot at Green River which allows us to go ahead and truly plan for how to address that population down there," Brown added.

He also says that results are still stable overall, adding that Sunday was reporting 80 new cases, so a larger increase was expected.

There were also 14 new deaths reported on Tuesday.

Of the 5,822 total cases, there have been 2,058 recoveries.

Governor Beshear said there is another drive-thru testing site that will be located in Pike County at Pikeville Medical Center from Tuesday-Friday this week. The location will have 70 tests per day and anyone can sign up to get tested.

Phase II of Healthy at Home is also expected to be announced sometime this week, which will talk about businesses that could possibly start opening up in June.