FRANKFORT, Ky. — Twenty Kentucky counties, including Jefferson, Bullitt and Shelby, were listed in the White House Coronavirus Task Force's "red zone" for the week of Aug. 8-14. The number is an increase from the White House's last report.
The report listed all counties with a 10% positivity rate or higher as counties in the "red zone," while counties with a positive test rate between 5% and 10% were placed in the "yellow zone."
In total, 63 of Kentucky's 120 counties were put into one of the two zones. Metro areas in the red zone included Louisville, Bowling Green, Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, Glasgow, Murray, Middlesboro and Campbellsville.
Gov. Andy Beshear presented the report during his press conference Tuesday, Aug. 18, saying counties in the red zone are in "a very concerning place right now."
"It shows you how quickly it can happen, and that this is also spreading in rural Kentucky — this isn't just an urban issue," Beshear said. "COVID doesn't care if you live in a city, or if you live in a more rural county, it will affect you just the same.
Beshear said Dr. Deborah Birx, who currently serves as the Coronavirus Response Coordinator, previously told state leaders that the data shows there was statewide community spread.
Currently, these counties are in the red zone: Barren, Bell, Bullitt, Calloway, Clay, Fulton, Green, Hardin, Henry, Hickman, Jefferson, Knox, Logan, Lewis, Powell, Scott, Shelby, Spencer, Warren and Wayne.
On Tuesday, Beshear reported 627 new COVID-19 cases and 12 additional deaths. Seventy-six of those new cases were found in the 18 and younger demographic. The statewide positivity rate is around 5.8%.
The governor said he would present the White House's report every Tuesday.
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