'We've now lost 400 of our own': Kentucky's coronavirus toll hits new milestone

As the state's COVID-19 death toll reached a new milestone Wednesday, Gov. Andy Beshear urged Kentuckians to remain vigilant about taking precautions to stem the spread of the disease.

“In Kentucky, we’ve now lost 400 of our own to this pandemic,” Beshear said Wednesday during his nightly coronavirus briefing. “Without all our actions, without heroic actions, would it have been a heck of a lot worse? Yes. But let’s all acknowledge that losing 400 people to anything, at any time, for any reason isn’t OK. It’s just not.”

Beshear and Dr. Steven Stack, the state's public health director, urged Kentuckians to wear masks in public — and not quarrel over it.

"Masks have somehow become this division amongst people," the governor said. "And yes, they're not comfortable, yes they can be hard to breathe from, yes, they keep people from seeing your beautiful face.

"However, I wear my mask, because of my faith. Because I believe that I have a duty to love my neighbor and do everything I can" to not cause harm.

Stack urged people to remain patient. "If you choose to wear a mask and others are not, don't pick a fight over it. It's not worth getting angry. ... You can control your risk of exposure simply by steering wider pathways." 

See also:Kentucky warily eases into daily life as nation's death toll reaches 100,000

Beshear announced 127 new cases for a total of 9,077, and six more deaths, bringing the toll to an even 400. In Jefferson County, there were 51 new cases for a total of 2,427, and three deaths for a total of 157.

Meanwhile, the Indiana State Department of Health on Wednesday announced 370 additional coronavirus cases, bringing the total to 32,437. The state reported 21 new deaths, for a total of 1,871.

Nationally, the death toll eclipsed 100,000 on Wednesday evening. 

Beshear said Kentucky's coronavirus fight is no longer on a plateau, but Thursday's numbers will be telling.

Although Kentucky's coronavirus cases are declining, he said, other states are seeing spikes because of "concerning behavior." Kentucky needs to "crush the curve," he added. 

Live coronavirus updates:Follow along for the latest news

Mayor assembles committee for economic recovery

Louisville's pandemic relief initiative is getting beefed up with a new committee that will evaluate existing economic initiatives and recommend new ones. 

Mayor Greg Fischer's initiative, Building Back Better Together, is an effort to produce an "economic transformation" that will improve Louisville and make it a more equitable place to live, he said.

“From the devastating impact of the lives lost to the incredible economic damage on economies across the world, COVID-19 has delivered a wake-up call, revealing the need for the intentional, systemic investment that’s necessary to ensure our people and our institutions are robust, equitable and resilient,” Fischer said.

The committee will include government, business, nonprofit and community leaders.

"And it's really in this moment that the gaps and weaknesses in our current system are the clearest," Fischer said. "That's why we've got to take on the challenge of planning and building a better and more equitable economy."

He said that includes more living-wage jobs and access to quality affordable housing, health care and education.

Top headlines:Kentucky Democrats call for censure of Maddox following effigy

Cases skyrocket in Shelby County's Hispanic population

Shelby County's Hispanic community has been hit hard with COVID-19 cases, officials said.

Cases have increased more than 50% in the past week, according to the North Central District Health Department. On Friday, 35 of 36 new confirmed cases were from the county's Hispanic populations; on Tuesday the figure was 15 of 15.

The rising numbers have prompted health officials to reach out to folks in common residential areas, frequented establishments and religious institutions about how the virus spreads and the importance of wearing masks in public, according to a May 21 news release from the health department.

The release also announced the fourth death in Shelby County — a Hispanic man — because of complications from COVID-19.

Beshear said during his nightly briefing on Wednesday that Shelby County recently rejected a Walmart testing site.

See also:Mayor Greg Fischer addresses COVID-19 disparities among race

Lawsuit filed over voter ID law

Kentucky chapters of the American Civil Liberties Union, League of Women Voters and NAACP are among groups that filed a federal lawsuit against state leaders over a new photo ID voter law.

The plaintiffs say the law will increase Kentuckians' risk of exposure to COVID-19 during the November election. It also assails Kentucky officials for not expanding the vote-by-mail system beyond the June primary.

The suit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, takes aim at Senate Bill 2, which requires voters to present government-issued photo identification to cast an in-person or a mail-in absentee ballot.

The photo ID bill was touted by Republican supporters, including Secretary of State Michael Adams, as a way to prevent voter fraud and increase public confidence in the integrity of elections.

Full story:Lawsuit aims to block Kentucky's photo ID law for November election

IU campuses to open this fall

Indiana University students will return to campuses this fall despite the pandemic, officials announced.

In-person classes are set to resume Aug. 24, but students won't be there all year.

The end of fall and beginning of spring semesters will be taught online to reduce campus traffic during the holidays and flu season, which is when coronavirus concerns can be "compounded," according to a news release from IU.

Students will go home for Thanksgiving break on Nov. 20, and classes will resume online from Nov. 30 to Dec. 20. Spring semester will start remotely in January and students will return to class Feb. 7.

Winter session classes will only be offered online.

Billy Kobin, Joe Sonka and Cameron Teague contributed to this report. Kala Kachmar is an investigative reporter. Reach her at 502-582-4469; kkachmar@courierjournal.com or @NewsQuip on Twitter. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/subscribe.