Kentucky reached a grim milestone Monday, but the governor also sounded hopeful that the state's strategies are yielding results.
Gov. Andy Beshear said flags will go half staff at the state Capitol this week, as seven new deaths pushed the state's coronavirus death toll past 100.
"It's to recognize those hundred, the first hundred," the governor said. "Every Kentuckians we lose is one of us, and even if a report is one or two, it is still a loss to all of us."
Even with the new reminder of the still-rising number of cases and no consensus yet on where the state or country stands in the timeline of the outbreak, Beshear said Kentucky is achieving the original goal of keeping the growth rate down.
"We are absolutely certain when we look at the data... that you are flattening the curve," Beshear reported.
To help continue that trend, the governor announced nearly 100 tests were performed on the first day of Kroger's new drive-thru testing operation in Frankfort - with a goal of ramping up to more than 200 a day. Also, the first 250 beds have been set up at the state's field hospital at the fairgrounds in Louisville.
And while those who chose to violate the governor's orders against mass gatherings on Easter drew media coverage over the weekend, Beshear said - of the roughly 30 reports of possible violations Sunday - only one was found to be out of compliance.
Other news:
- The commonwealth is now attributing at least 104 deaths to the coronavirus.
- Kentucky added 87 new cases of the novel coronavirus Monday, 3 in Fayette County.
- While supplies remain far below what's needed, the governor hinted Monday at positive developments in the effort to collect donations of personal protective equipment (PPE). A full announcement is expected Tuesday.
- Addressing the legsialture, which is set to return this week, Beshear again urged lawmakers to make whatever changes they wish to make to his line item budget vetoes and leave as quickly as possible.
