Gov. Andy Beshear confirms first case of coronavirus in Kentucky Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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that it was coming. We're ready. We're gonna be making information available to the public. And with this state of emergency, we now have every resource available to us to respond. More information will be coming. But rest assured everything that we can do here as the state and I know for every local health department and every other person, that is, that is in health care, providing assistance, that we will step up, we will help our people, and we will eventually move beyond this Corona virus. Any questions way will be releasing Maur of that information, especially through the weekend. But when we just got this test back today, and we very much need our epidemiologists to be able Thio do a little bit of research on those ties and any other issues before we can release that information to the public. It's the responsible way to do it, and we want to make sure that we release any and all information in a way that is transparent but again does not and should not cause panic. Panic can be justice harmful as any type of virus that's out there, so people should not adjust their daily routines other than practicing good hygiene. Not going to work if you're sick, not sending your kids to school. If they're sick, What can you tell us about this patient? Is a man and a woman one of the right now, the only information we can provide given We just got this test back and we need to let the epidemiologist get out ahead of this is that the individual is in Lexington. They're being treated in isolation. They're in a medical facility being treated. So it's a paper taking a basketball game. Churches at this point with the information we have. Yes, Kentucky ends can and should go Thio churches to basketball games. But Kentucky and Sue feel sick. Absolutely should not. That's one of of our responsibilities is this is one case and we knew it was coming again. The flu has, I believe, 19,000 around 19,000 confirmed cases this year on dhe, So we want to respond appropriately, have declared a state of emergency. So we are definitely responding. But again, we want to keep it in context. People should go about their daily lives, but practice better hygiene. Yes, yes, way are we are confident that this confirmation is accurate. This is our first case of Corona virus. He's contracted, elegant. We're letting the epidemiologists get out ahead and gather the information S O that so that we can respond appropriately. What does that process one of the next? So I'm joined today by our secretary, Eric Freelander, and Dr Stack, who heads Public Health. I'm gonna turn that over to him. So the epidemiologists will now go through a really methodical process. They'll identify more information about the patient who's currently being treated. They'll identify where that person was leading up to the illness, and until the time they became treat, they were being treated. They'll find people they were in contact with any potential travel history. It's called contact tracing. And so they do a very detailed, very methodical approach. Identify everybody. That person may have come in contact with the places they may have been any possible source in any possible exposure to the illness or that they met have exposed someone else, and then they'll work with local public health officials and other clinicians as needed to make sure that they have the information necessary to try to recommend it in any additional steps necessary for isolation or other interventions in the community. And as of right now, um, R repurpose poison control hotline number, which is now our cove in 19 number is 1 802 2 to 12 to two that has 1 802 22 1222 That is the number for the general public, especially those that have concerns to make sure that they can communicate with us directly para state of emergency talk about what that sets in. That sets um, our emergency operations center in motion that connects to all of our cabinets on all of the powers that they have. It sets up a central coordinated response. It also allows the activation of the natural National Guard a win, and it should should it be needed. And I won't hesitate if we do, um, to lead on the National Guard and its resource is which can also be used. But this time it is a single case. It was expected. Declaring a state of emergency certainly doesn't mean any family should panic. It just means that we're gonna be ready. And I want to make sure that every single resource that we could need. We have right now. This is set in motion like this individual. Try to find the whereabouts where this person has been contacted or is it just almost impossible? Dr. Stock? Well, it's not impossible. Well, they do it to the extent that the information is possible unobtainable. So it's very thorough. And public health professionals have used this for a very long time. Is a reliable way to identify how a disease originated, where it may have spread in steps to take to recommend is targeted as we can, what community interventions are necessary. But I want to emphasize what the governor said. We knew this would happen. There's only one case in still Kentucky and remain at very low risk for contracting this illness. And the current individual is in isolation, receiving treatment. Do you think justice? They're all through state government, including in her own personnel cabinet and for our employees were working daily on best practices and preparation wear, certainly telling everyone to be alert for the signs. But we don't have any reports from those facilities, at least to my knowledge, as I stand here right now of anybody exhibiting any of the symptoms that would raise concern way. Well, I believe that, you know, we had been following a little over Ah 100 folks, more than 88 of them. I believe it's almost over. Almost all of them have been cleared and the request for self isolations have gone very well. The only people who have refused we're at a very, very, very low risk on dso it. It appears to be a very effective tool. But we do have other tools, if necessary, to ensure isolation. If someone is at high risk and refuses, Chris, wait. Well, we have some that is that is coming our way under that bill and we will have Maur that we will request as needed. We're going to use every resource that we need. And if I have to go to the Legislature for more state funding, they're here. That is something that we're exploring, not that we know it will be necessary, but we need to have every tool to respond. And so I may ask them, given that this is going to play out over a length of time longer than the legislative session, for some flexibility on using funds if they're needed. Our goal is is every tool that we need we're gonna have on the state of emergency provides almost all of that. But if there is any other thing that we could be doing, I'm gonna make sure we're doing it s o again to our families. I want you to be vigilant. I want you to practice good hygiene, but I don't want you to disrupt your daily lives. Fear, um, can be, um, difficult. But there is no cause for fear at this time. And we're gonna continue to communicate with the public about what we face here in Kentucky. But again, we expected this first confirmed case We will work together. We, as the state will get past this. Look out for your neighbors. Make sure that you check in on relatives, especially seniors. One of the things that Kentucky and do better than almost anywhere else is take care of each other. We had 100 year flood in south Central Kentucky. Oh, about a month ago. Ah, 100 year flood. And we only had one fatality. Why? Because we had people stepping up and helping 100 plus evacuations. That's the spirit of who we are. We need that same spirit from our people not to back away, but to help each other. As we move through this, we got to the point where you need to tell stores you love it like certain medications with purchase of them. Before I turn it over to Dr Stack. We This happened late in the day. I will be asking the attorney General, and we have not had an opportunity to do that yet. Toe activate the price gouging statute. That means people shouldn't be able to sell masks, sanitizers and others, um, and harm people that way. But I will tell you, we have not had the opportunity to reach out to the attorney general's office yet if this is how they're learning about it again, my apologies. But we're moving as fast as we can on Daz. The situation evolves as Dr Stack talks about, we're gonna make sure that we evolve with it. Governor, Maybe this is a question for the doctors. I know we have people watching this on live stream or watching it live right now on television who are annoyed at the coverage of Corona virus they feel as though the media and maybe some elected officials are blowing this up. You say there's a state of emergency, but stay calm. What do you respond to, those people who are still maybe maybe doubtful that this is going to be worse than common flu. So far right now, there is no reason to believe that this will be as bad as the common flu. 19,000 cases in Kentucky. I believe it's the number 66 deaths, including four Children. So get your flu shot and then everything else that you do to help prevent the Corona virus helps to prevent the flu as well. But this is new, and it's moving fast. I think the first inkling of it was in about December on, and so you think about how it's spread and how it spread around the world. We just want to make sure we're responding appropriately when we look at the, um, the outbreak that that that we had just about a year and 1/2 ago when it came to hepatitis. We want to make sure that we never under respond on, especially with all the coverage that is getting yes, it makes it important that we continually update the public and that they know that we're doing everything we can tow respond to it. I think part of keeping people calm and everyone should remain calm is to know that your government is doing everything it can and has every tool. I promise I will treat this the same way that I would for my own family. Being the dad of a nine and a 10 year old, I want to make sure that we're doing everything to protect our families. Some of our health departments didn't have a drink track record. I want to make sure that turned this over to the two gentlemen behind us. But I will say that the coordination from the federal government to the state government to the local government has been exceptional in leading up to it. We did. We wanted more time. But as I mentioned earlier, every minute of time we had to prepare. These gentlemen and others were working very, very hard. We have wonderful people in our local health departments, and our job is to make sure they have the resource is that they need which I don't believe they had the last time secretary. So in response to that, we are taking this and actually to the previous question, we are taking this seriously. It's important to take seriously. We are bringing all the resources we can to bear. We have previously met with the National Guard. We are trying to make sure that the resources that we have available and the our partners at the local level know everything that we're doing. This is this is fast This when the governor says we received this information today, it was like this afternoon. So we are trying to be sure that we're transparent with our local partners with the health care providers so that they can No, we need to we need to begin to respond, and that's exactly what we're trying to do. So I have confidence that with the leadership that we have in place, that we will be able to do that department. We believe our health departments are prepared. We've been We've been working with them now for for a while to make sure that they understand what we're getting ready to go through what this process will be. Dr. Stack, do you wanna add sure I've been a regular communication with the health department leaders, the leaders of their association. I was out in eastern Kentucky and Pike County and then not County earlier this week, meeting with them in their sight and with their staff members. They are really dedicated professionals, and they have been working very hard on our behalf. I do want to urge and ask the public to go to the Kentucky website that we've, so that would be a k y. Cove. It k y c o v i d 19 dot k y dot gov. We're updating that data on a daily basis, and there's resource is that continue to expand. There's custom resource is relevant to Kentucky specifically, and also a national resource is that take you to the CDC website? I want to ask all the public to please take your role in this. Remain calm. It's okay to be concerned, but please remain calm and please, if you're responsible for communities of people, schools, businesses, healthcare facilities and others, please go to the website and look for the very specific information that's Taylor to your setting. Designate someone to read that information and begin your preparedness because we're all in this together and we will overcome this like we have so many other challenges in the past. But it's gonna take all of us to remain calm and to be prepared. And so we're trying to make that resource available. And I urge you to share with your audience that need to go there and take an active role in this anybody else way. Were this room to our Yes, I've learned of it in that period of time. No question. Have you been in conversation with Mayor? Yes. Since the time that we learned this in the quick turnaround, I've spoken to the mayor of Lexington. I have not had the opportunity to reach out to other lawmakers again. This is the type of information that gets out there fast. And we wanted to make sure we could present it in the appropriate way Toe where people are told you shouldn't be scared. We expected this. We're ready for it. We will respond to it. We will get through this together, practice good hygiene and look out for one another. Thank you. One last thing that I would mention is I do believe that we're in a better place to address this than many states because of expanded Medicaid. I don't mention that because of my belief and expanded Medicaid. But it does mean that there is more access out there that people will have less barriers. Thio get service. And especially when we have our private labs up and running, I believe that it's gonna make sure that if people are feeling sick that they will get help. Thank you all very much.

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