As the number of positive cases grow, many have pointed to differences between numbers provided by Governor Beshear and by other governmental agencies, such as the Lincoln Trail District Health Department. Officials with the department say there are two main reasons behind the occasional difference; Not all labs report to the state labs, and the turnaround for the labs could be delayed for multiple reasons. Public information officer Terrie Burgan says that while there may be an occasional lag in numbers reported by the Governor, the Health Department has put forth accurate numbers. At this time, the Health Department has seen 11 positive cases within their service area.
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With the end of the school year fast approaching, school districts across the area are still deciding what to do for their high school graduations. During their March board meeting, Hardin County Schools set the graduation dates for all three high schools, which are still on schedule at this time. The Elizabethtown Board of Education has not yet set a date for their graduation.
In his evening press conference last night, Governor Andy Beshear announced that there are now 480 cases of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth, with 42 of those being newly confirmed. There were also two new deaths reported on Monday, an 88-year-old female from Kenton County and a 90-year-old female from Simpson County, raising the state’s total to 11 deaths related to the virus. Both victims had underlying health conditions that also contributed to their death. In terms of new steps being taken, Governor Beshear announced an executive order to limit Kentuckians out-of-state travel. The order allows for a few exemptions including travel to other states for work, groceries, to care for loved ones, or to seek court order required health care. Kentuckians arriving back in the Commonwealth from out of state are required to self-quarantine for 14 days.
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.
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.