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COVID: 18 new cases in NKY, 177 cases, 11 deaths in KY; Gov. lauds KY Colonels $1M gift; testing in NKY


Staff report

NKY Health reports 18 additional cases of COVID-19 in Northern Kentucky as of Tuesday afternoon, for 226 total cases. Gov. Andy Beshear reported 177 new cases and 11 deaths for 2210 total cases and 115 total deaths in Kentucky.

Kenton County building lighted green in honor of coronavirus victims. (Photo by Chuck Eilerman)

There are 101 cases in Kenton County, 50 cases in Campbell County, 61 cases in Boone County and 14 cases in Grant County. There have been 18 total deaths related to COVID-19. For more data on COVID-19 infections in Northern Kentucky, please click here.

Today a free drive-thru COVID-19 testing site, an effort by the Governor’s Office, Kroger and Gravity Diagnostics, will open at Summit View Academy (5006 Madison Pike Independence), starting at 10 a.m. Testing at this site will take place until Saturday, April 18. Only those with an appointment will receive testing. Individuals can determine their eligibility, as well as schedule an appointment, at this website or by calling 1-888-852-2567.

According to Dr. Lynne Saddler, District Director of Health, only individuals with symptoms associated with COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath) should receive testing.

“Testing is NOT recommended for individuals who do not have symptoms associated with COVID-19. This is because even if the individual was exposed to COVID-19, they might not yet have enough of the virus in their system to produce a positive test result. Someone may test negative, only to become ill a few days later, potentially unknowingly spreading COVID-19 to their close contacts.”

If you are not able to schedule an appointment for drive-thru testing and develop a fever, cough or difficulty breathing, stay home and call your health care provider. Even without testing, a health care provider can tell a patient if they think they have COVID-19, and provide the same instructions for care.

If you have mild symptoms, you must stay home, take fever-reducing medications and avoid others. Additionally, it is important that you inform those with whom you have had close contact that they have been exposed to COVID-19, should monitor for symptoms, and stay at home. Learn how to prevent the spread of the virus in your home here. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 9-1-1.

To date, the Governor reported, at least 27,697 people have been tested. At least 687 people have ever been hospitalized with 305 currently hospitalized. At least 263 have ever been in the ICU with at least 137 people currently in the ICU.

The Governor also announced that the Honorable Order of the Kentucky Colonels is making the largest gift in the organization’s history: $1 million to the Team Kentucky Fund.

He urged others to follow the Kentucky Colonels’ lead and donate to the Team Kentucky Fund.

“Our trustees decided to take a leadership position with this specific $1 million donation to the Team Kentucky Fund when Gov. Beshear called upon Kentuckians to come together and help provide aid and hope where it’s most urgently needed,” said Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels (HOKC) Executive Director Col. Sherry Crose. “Kentucky Colonels are honoring the historic heritage of caring which began with assistance with the Great Flood of 1937.”

Unemployment update

Deputy Secretary of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet Josh Benton described a system scaling up to meet the unprecedented number of jobless claims. The total claims made since March 16 stands at 521,592, he said. A total of 453,025 Kentuckians were paid benefits since April 5, totaling $149,820,796. And since April 9, the number of Kentucky recipients getting the additional $600 per week stands at 156,931 individuals with payouts totaling $139,146,602.

The Governor repeated his plea for Kentuckians to continue to fight the spread of the virus by staying safe at home and practicing social distancing. Doing this saves lives, he said.


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