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Three state legislators have tested positive for COVID; infectious disease specialist dies


By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today

At least three Kentucky lawmakers have now tested positive for the coronavirus.

Sen. Gerald Neal


The Senate Democratic Caucus announced that Sen. Gerald Neal, D-Louisville, admitted himself to the hospital last week, after experiencing mild symptoms of COVID-19 and received the prognosis.


“Sen. Neal is a champion and fighter for his community in the state legislature,” Democratic leadership said in a statement. “He’s already calling people from the hospital talking about bills for the next session and organizing meetings he still plans to attend virtually. We fully expect Sen. Neal to overcome this and return to the Senate to continue fighting for the constituents of District 33 and the entire Commonwealth.”


Neal will be 75 on Sept. 22.

The first was Sen. Max Wise, R-Campbellsville, who chairs the Senate Education Committee. He announced on Twitter July 13 that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and was in quarantine.


“I am recovering well,” he said at the time, “But there are also numerous people who have not, during this whole ordeal. I understand the severity of it and I also want to tell everybody to please be cautious, please follow the CDC guidelines.”


On July 19, the 45-year-old Wise announced in another Twitter video that he had been released from quarantine by local health officials and has apparently made a full recovery.

Rep. Attica Scott, D-Louisville, announced in a video on Twitter that she had tested positive for the coronavirus.


“I am going to adhere to health department guidelines, and I am self-quarantining for the next 14 days,” the 38-year old stated in her video a week ago. “Folks, please continue to wear your masks properly; wash your hands, which you should be doing anyway; and stay six feet away from people.”

Over the weekend, Gov. Andy Beshear paid a social media tribute to “front-line hero” Dr. Rebecca Shadown who died Friday night at Med Center Health in Bowling Green. She tested positive for the virus on May 13 and believed she contracted it after an eldery family member received care at home from an infected caregiver. She was an infectious disease specialist. She stressed the importance of wearing a mask in public.

NKyTribune staff contributed to this report.


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