Kentucky saw nearly 1,000 coronavirus cases in a single day

A daily record of nearly 1,000 coronavirus cases was reported Sunday in Kentucky, a spike that the governor of that state said should be a “wake-up call” for residents to abide by mask and social distancing restrictions.

Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear announced in a news release that there were 979 new cases reported Sunday, including 30 involving children 5 years old or younger.

“I have faith and I have trust in the people of Kentucky,” Beshear said in a news release. “But today and in the days ahead we’ve got to do a whole lot better. We’re going to have to take some more action.”

Beshear said there were at least 23,161 coronavirus cases in Kentucky as of 4 p.m., including the new cases reported on Sunday. The state’s public health commissioner said efforts would be made to confirm the accuracy of the results with some of the laboratories that submitted them.

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“We typically have limited reporting on Sunday which makes today’s record-setting number of positives particularly alarming,” said Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Department of Public Health in Kentucky.

Stack urged Kentuckians to wear masks and socially distance and said the state “has flattened the curve before and it must act immediately and decisively to flatten it again.”

Beshear also reported three new deaths, raising the total to 670 Kentuckians lost to the virus.

The deaths reported Sunday include a 67-year-old woman from Clark County; a 74-year-old woman from Jefferson County; and a 58-year-old man from Oldham County.

“This is a rough day for the commonwealth,” Beshear said.

Also on Sunday, a Kentucky lawmaker who heads a key education committee said he has been released from quarantine after testing positive for the coronavirus.

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In a Twitter post, Republican state Sen. Max Wise said he was notified by the Lake Cumberland District Health Department that he met the criteria to be released.

“I am fortunate only to have experienced mild symptoms throughout my diagnosis,” he said. “I do not take this for granted, as I know there are so many others who have not been as fortunate.”

Wise announced last week that he had gotten tested after experiencing “very mild symptoms.”

The Campbellsville lawmaker is chairman of the Senate Education Committee. He has been a state senator since 2015.

During his quarantine, he handled communications online and participated in committee meetings remotely.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some — especially older adults and people with existing health problems — it can cause more severe illness and be fatal.