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The Calloway County Jail in Murray, Kentucky made it through the first nine months of the pandemic without any confirmed COVID-19 cases. Then in December suffered an outbreak of 30 confirmed cases. Inmates say they’re concerned about how the jail is managing their health because the ill are not always separated from the well. Rachel Collins with member station WKMS reports.
David Allsop, who’s in for a probation violation on a burglary second degree charge, caught COVID-19 during the December outbreak. He said he has pre-existing conditions including asthma and COPD, which require medical treatment, yet when he first started showing symptoms, it was his cell mates who provided care for him.
Cady Stribling
cstribling1@murraystate.edu
The University’s COVID-19 response team made two significant changes over winter break. Rapid testing is now available on campus and the required quarantine period for those exposed to the virus has decreased.
Director of Communication Shawn Touney said the quarantine policy was changed from a 14-day quarantine period to a seven to 10-day period.
“Due to the CDC’s updated quarantine policies, in consultation with our local health department, Dr. Bob Hughes, chief medical officer, state officials and others, we have updated our quarantine period from 14 days to seven-10 days, depending on the type of test administered,” Touney said.
Credit Screenshot from Gov. Andy Beshear
Governor Andy Beshear in a Tuesday press conference on the coronavirus announced Kentucky hospitals will receive an additional $800 million to $1 billion annually to help advance the quality of care of Medicaid members and to provide a stable financial base for hospitals that plans to extend beyond the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cabinet For Health And Family Services Secretary Eric Friedlander commented on the approval from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on the new directed payment initiative that increases in-patient medicaid payments for Kentucky hospitals. He said this program would improve the quality of care Kentucky hospitals will be able to offer, which would not be possible without the partnership with the Kentucky Hospital Association.
Credit Screenshot from Gov. Andy Beshear
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced 3,053 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, the fourth highest Tuesday for confirmed cases in the state since the beginning of the pandemic.
There are currently 1,733 Kentuckians being hospitalized, 397 are in the ICU, and 205 on a ventilator. The positivity rate is 12.23%. There were also 22 newly reported deaths.
The three highest case counts by county are Jefferson County with 368, Madison County with 142, and Kenton County with 139.
Beshear also reported 71 new residents have tested positive in long-term care facilities along with 53 new staff members.
The Calloway County Health Department reported 22 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases ever in the county up to 2,723 with 2,453 recovered, 222 isolated at home, 9 hospitalized, and 39 deaths.