In his daily update to the state of Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear announced 177 new cases of COVID-19 — 90 more than Sunday. The new state total is 2,210 cases.

Beshear also announced 11 new deaths in the state of Kentucky, bringing the state death total to 115. Beshear said that over 653 Kentuckians have now recovered from COVID-19.

Warren County, which had 48 confirmed cases prior to Tuesday, now has 53 confirmed cases after Beshear announced five new cases in Warren. There are still no confirmed deaths in Warren.

“It’s important we stay strong to make good choices,” Beshear said. “Right now we all have an A in staying home, but the test is still going on.”

Beshear provided new statistics regarding the positive cases in Kentucky hospitals:

• 27,697 tests have been administered

• 687 have been hospitalized

• 305 are currently hospitalized

• At least 263 were ever in the ICU

• At least 137 are currently in the ICU

“Let’s be thinking of those who are in intensive care units, and the majority of people are coming out of these units,” Beshear said.

Beshear said the Kentucky Colonels have contributed $1 million dollars for the Team Kentucky Fund. He also noted 1,000 tests have been conducted in Kenton County with the new site that was recently set up, but Beshear is still looking for a 500-plus number of tests. 

Beshear revealed what the state of Kentucky has on hand for PPE. 

• 4.2 million gloves

• 355,000 surgical masks

• 37,000 gowns

• 5,000 coveralls 

• 279,000 respirator masks 

Dr. Steven Stack, Kentucky’s public health commissioner, said that all of those PPE supplies are to be used once and then discarded, but state officials have now been forced to ask nurses and doctors to reuse disposable supplies more than once, which isn’t typical.

“We’ve now had to ask healthcare facilities to reuse what were previously disposable items,” Stack said. “There’s over 100 hospitals, there are hundreds of nursing homes and assisted living communities across the state, then you add all the police, all the fire and EMS ambulance crews and more. So, there’s an enormous number of people who need this material to keep themselves and the patients safe.”

Education and Workforce Development Cabinet member Josh Benton provided an update for the unemployment population in Kentucky. 

“We are averaging between 14 to 16,000 claims a day, and $150 millions in claims have been processed,” Benton said. “450,000 claims have been paid in total.”

Benton also revealed that since March 16, there have been 521,592 claims put into the unemployment database. These individuals are being paid $600 a week.

Beshear also said he would be talking to the school committees about the extension of schools remaining closed and said Kentuckians should prepare as if no one is going back to school.  

Beshear said Tuesday that testing in drive-thrus continues through a partnership with Kroger. Kentuckians can sign up for testing online or call 888-852-2567. 

“Sign up for what matters, and get tested,” Beshear said.

Reporter Nick Kieser can be reached at [email protected]. Follow Nick on Twitter at @KieserNick.