FRANKFORT, Ky. — Governor Andy Beshear announced Friday afternoon the state has its first confirmed case of a patient with coronavirus. The state has performed ten tests for COVID-19 and nine of those have come back negative. 

There aren't many details about the patient. The only details the governor shared is that the patient tested positive in Lexington and is being treated at a "medical facility" and is in isolation. Governor Beshear says state epidemiologists will now work with the patient to determine the people and places they may have come in contact with and then begin the process of notification.

When the learned of the positive test, he issued a state of emergency and said the state was expecting this and they are prepared. Declaring a health emergency allows state agencies to work on dealing with the virus and ensures Kentucky can seek funds to control and stop the spread of the virus. 

Beshear also opened the Emergency Operations Center which he says is working on a level 4, the lowest level. They are repurposing the poison control hotline and making it an information line for anyone with questions or concerns now that Kentucky has seen positive test results. That emergency COVID-19 number is 1-800-222-1222.

The state has been preparing and Beshear says there is no need to panic. He says we should expect another case at some point in the state, but that instead of panicking everyone should practice good hygiene. Beshear stresses if you feel sick, do not go to work, do not go out, do not send your kids to school if they feel sick. Stay home. Beshear says Kentuckians should not avoid going out and participating in events if they aren't sick. He urged people to go to games, go to dinner, go about their normal lives but stressed practice better hygiene.

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