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Kentucky Officials Ponder New Measures To Counter COVID-19 Outbreak In State Prison

Governor Beshear reported 619 new coronavirus cases Wednesday.  That’s more than the 532 and 522 recorded the previous two days. 

But, the governor still says the state could be entering a flattening out period of COVID-19 cases. “But, right now it looks like we’re on track to be relatively stable as compared to last week’s numbers.  And that’s a good thing,” said Beshear.

The governor responded to questions about a second data breach within the state unemployment system.  He said it involves one to two individuals at most and doesn’t appear to be concerning regarding anyone’s credit or finances. 

Beshear also said in-person unemployment services will be held next week in Louisville.  Kentuckians must register on line at kcc.ky.gov.  The governor also reported five new deaths associated with coronavirus.?

State Cabinet Secretary J. Michael Brown said increasing COVID-19 cases at the Kentucky State Reformatory are reason for concern.  In addition to a significant jump in cases, Brown noted four inmates at KSR have died and all nine hospitalized inmates are from the prison.

Governor Beshear said the successful strategy used for an outbreak at western Kentucky’s Green River Correctional Complex can’t always be used at other prisons.  “We could point to five different buildings where we could put the positive people.  Those that had been around the positive people, the medically fragile, the negative, and we could spread them all out.  Some of our institutions mean we have to do that in wings and that’s not as good as separate buildings,” noted Beshear.

A process to screen some 700 additional non-violent inmates with little time remaining on their sentences for early release is being done.  1200 inmates were released in a previous round of commutations. 

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