Gov. Andy Beshear reports Kentuckians' compliance with social distancing and other orders does appear to be bending the curve of escalating COVID-19 cases downward in the state, but he's asking citizens to stay consistent and do more in the weeks to come.
Sunday, the governor reported just 38 new cases, far below numbers seen over recent days. But he cautioned not to read too much into the drop because fewer labs delivered new data over the weekend. Still, Beshear said, there's reason for hope.
"We have now had a number of days in a row, I think four, where we have been at about the same (number of new cases), and my feeling is that adjust today we'll be about just the same," Beshear explained. "When you look at other places in the country, many of which are doubling every three days or even more, again that is pretty good news if you can find good news in the midst of this crisis."
At least 306 coronavirus patients have recovered. There were five new deaths confirmed, however.
Commenting on new CDC guidance regarding the wearing of cloth masks in public, the state public health commissioner, Steven Stack, had this to say: "There is some potential they could help minimize the spread of disease from someone who's infected, but I think overall they're a distraction. The most important thing is you have to do all the social distancing. You have to stay away from each other six to ten feet... That's what's going to keep us healthy."
One area where the governor has continued to encounter resistance to his orders is in some community churches, which have continued to hold in-person services. Pressed on the case of a Bullitt County preacher who has bucked the executive orders barring mass gatherings, Beshear said by now the evidence is clear.
"We have at least three examples of church services spreading the virus in Kentucky and we have multiple deaths tied to it," Beshear said. "So we know it's a scientific fact that him holding his service today spread the virus within his congregation and at Christmas he's going to have fewer people in his congregation. My faith would never let me put someone else in that position."
As of Sunday evening, Kentucky had a total of 955 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
