In his evening press conference last night, Governor Andy Beshear announced that there are at least 439 cases of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth with 45 new cases being confirmed. This is after the largest one-day rise in cases on Saturday, with 92 new positives on the 28th. Governor Beshear has stressed that the next two weeks are critical as the pandemic begins to spike as expected, and urges businesses to do better when it comes to social distancing, specifically citing state parks, grocery stores, and golf courses. Governor Beshear has also asked Kentuckians not to travel out of state, but specifically cited Tennessee, which has failed to enact strict social distancing guidelines. The Governor says that Kentuckians can go to Tennessee for work, to care for a loved one, or event to go to the grocery store if it is closer, but asks that residents not go across state lines to partake in activities that have been limited in Kentucky.
While manufacturers across the state make decisions about potential closures, a local operation is planning to stay open. In a phone message last week, Metalsa plant coordinator Matthew Carter says the plant will remain open with their designated essential critical infrastructure workforce. Carter says necessary materials will be distributed to those employees on their next working day in the plant. As previously reported, Akebono was shutting down production for this week.
The city of Radcliff has announced that in efforts to better support social distancing, Saunders Springs will be closed until further notice. Radcliff Mayor JJ Duvall says that it was difficult to keep tabs on social distancing efforts in the park, so for the safety of the public, it was decided that closure was the best option. While the city of Radcliff has closed down one of their major recreational spots in Saunders Springs, the city of Elizabethtown is thanking its residents for following the temporary guidelines in place at Freeman Lake Park. Officials with the Elizabethtown Police Department say that going forward, anyone caught violating the guidelines can be subjected to criminal charges. American Legion Park, as well as the University Drive Platforms and Elizabethtown Sports Park have already closed.
Hardin Memorial Hospital has seen its very first case of COVID-19. In a statement release last Friday, Chief Nursing Officer Sharon Wright explained that the hospital has been preparing for this moment for several months, and have followed all CDC recommendations for treating the patient, including isolation. In a separate release on Saturday, Fort Knox confirmed that their second case of COVID-19, a civilian employee, is being treated at Hardin Memorial.
