Coronavirus likely spreading person-to-person in Kentucky, Beshear says. He urges calm.

Mar. 9--FRANKFORT -- Only one of the first four Kentuckians with confirmed cases of novel coronavirus has a history of traveling to an area hit hard by the virus, leading state health officials to surmise the other three cases were spread person-to-person in the community, Gov. Andy Beshear said Monday morning.

"We believe, and this seems to be the case nationally, that this is community spreading," the governor said. "Again, this has been expected. We are ready for it. It was what we always thought we would see with this novel coronavirus."

Community spreading of the viral respiratory infection, also known as COVID-19, means that good hygiene "is so critical," Beshear said, including washing one's hands "more than you normally do" and staying home if you're sick. The state's businesses should "make sure you have options for individuals who are sick," including working from home and offering unpaid sick leave, he said.

Late Monday, Beshear announced two more confirmed cases of coronavirus, raising the state's total of confirmed cases to six.

Beshear said during a Capitol news conference Monday morning that the state's first COVID-19 case out of Harrison County, which was announced Friday afternoon, is an employee of the Walmart in Cynthiana. Six employees who worked closely with the individual have self-isolated themselves and show no symptoms of the respiratory illness, he said.

A second patient who tested presumptive positive for COVID-19 in Harrison County Sunday is linked to the first case, but not via Walmart, Beshear said. The other two patients among the first four confirmed cases are residents of Jefferson and Fayette counties.

The only other information given about either of those cases came later in the day, when Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness Director Dr. Sarah Moyer said the patient with COVID-19 from Jefferson County "had recently traveled," and that "we have no evidence of community spread."

Lexington-Fayette County Public Health Commissioner Kraig Humbaugh declined to provide any information about the Lexingtonian with coronavirus, including whether or not that individual was being treated at a hospital. Spokespeople for Baptist Health Lexington and UK HealthCare said their facilities are not treating the Lexington resident diagnosed with COVID-19.

A spokeswoman for CHI Saint Joseph Health on Monday afternoon would neither confirm nor deny the hospital was treating a coronavirus patient and deferred all questions to the health department, saying "our hospitals will not be releasing specific patient information, per our normal process to respect patient privacy."

The governor urged residents in the affected communities to remain calm, especially those who have recently shopped at the Walmart in Cynthiana. He said there is no reason to believe it's unsafe to visit the store.

"I know it's going to make you nervous," Beshear said. "Just because you've been there doesn't mean you have the coronavirus."

After announcing Sunday evening that the numbers of confirmed cases in the commonwealth had jumped from one to four, Beshear said Monday morning that he would be signing an executive order to remove any cost barrier for those seeking a COVID-19 test once they become widely available from commercial testing labs.

His order will "wave co-pays, deductible, cost-sharing and diagnostic testing fees for private insurance and state employees," as well as "removing any impediments" for any Kentuckian currently receiving Medicaid benefits from "getting tested or treated [for the virus]," Beshear said.

There are about 433,000 Kentuckians on private insurance, roughly 30,000 state employees, and more than 1.3 million residents receiving Medicaid benefits.

So far, roughly 200 people have been or are being actively monitored for symptoms of the virus. As of 5 p.m. Sunday, the state had received results for 21 tests, 17 of which were negative.

Beshear also encouraged all Kentucky senior centers, nursing homes, and long-term care centers to "restrict" their visitation policies, "just to make sure that we protect our loved ones."

Some health care providers are already heeding this advice. Baptist Health Lexington said Monday it is restricting who can visit its palliative and hospice care patients, as well as those in its maternity and neonatal intensive care unit, out of "an abundance of caution."

Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton recommended that Lexingtonians over the age of 60, or those with ongoing health issues, should "avoid large crowds," stay home as much as possible and stock up on medical and other supplies in case they are asked to stay home. Beshear has asked the same of these residents statewide.

Beshear said additional positive tests should be expected, adding that it's too early to project how many Kentuckians will get the virus.

"We are going to hear about more positive tests," Beshear said. "We ought to be prepared for that."

State Department for Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack sought to allay fears about the virus.

"For 80 percent or more of people who get infected, you're going to be just fine," Stack said. "You'll probably either have cold symptoms or no symptoms."

Children continue to appear to have "little or no infection by this condition," so "parents should take some measure of calm for the well-being of their families and children."

As for those who will contract an infection, "we can target efforts toward those populations."

Stack outlined which people should visit their health care provider and when, if they worry they might have COVID-19.

"If you are worried well, do not go to a hospital, an ER, or a doctor's office," said Stack, a trained emergency medicine physician, explaining that doing so "further overwhelms" an already stressed health care system.

For those who are sick with a fever, cough or infection, but were it not for the outbreak of coronavirus, would not have sought care, don't visit a health care provider in person. Call them for a consultation, instead, or call the state coronavirus hotline -- 1-800-722-5725 -- for advice "to minimize taking people with infection and exposing yourself to others," Stack said.

Only people with emergency illnesses should default to going to a hospital or a doctor in person, he said.

"If we can please self-triage, so the sickest people get care and the rest don't crowd the system, we will have better resource capacity to help everyone and minimize the spread of infection," he said.

Visit the Kentucky's coronavirus website for more details about how to quarantine at home and other topics: kycovid19.ky.gov.

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