Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The number of coronavirus cases confirmed in Clark County since the novel coronavirus reached the Bluegrass in March has now surpassed 300.

County Public Health Director Becky Kissick reported 18 new cases over the weekend — 11 for Friday, four Saturday and three Sunday. On Monday, the department reported eight more cases, bringing the total in the county to 311.

As of Monday, the department was working 54 active cases.

Sunday afternoon, Gov. Andy Beshear reported 390 new COVID-19 cases. Thirteen of those cases were children 5 years old or younger.

On Monday, Beshear announced 376 new cases, bringing the state’s total to 39,691.

“The total number of new COVID-19 cases has increased this week, which shows the disease is still very active in Kentucky, but on a positive note, it appears that Kentuckians have stopped the exponential growth of the virus,” Beshear said. 

Beshear also reported eight more deaths from the virus on Friday, six more on Saturday, three on Sunday and five on Monday, bringing the total number of lives lost to the virus in the state to 818.

Kentucky’s mortality rate from the virus is 2.1 percent, compared to 3.2. percent nationally.

“Now, more than ever, we have to renew our commitment to work together to protect ourselves, our friends, our families, and our communities. This week outpaced the number of new cases last week and, if we become complacent, our hard-fought containment of the coronavirus could slip from our grasp,” Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Department for Public Health, said in the governor’s daily briefing on Saturday.

More than 760,000 COVID tests had been administered in Kentucky, with a 5.8 percent positivity rate.

According to the statistics, more than 9,000 people in the state have recovered from the virus.