Kentucky veterans facility records 24 COVID-19 deaths since October

Twenty-four veterans have died from the coronavirus in a Kentucky veterans center since an outbreak started last month, Gov. Andy Beshear said Friday.

The deaths are among a total 86 cases of infection at the Thomson-Hood Veterans Center, after months of having avoided such outbreaks.

Assisted-living facilities have been among the hardest hit since the pandemic started in March, largely because of their close quarters and many residents having pre-existing medical conditions.

"It started with three veterans and seven staff members, which quickly turned into a larger outbreak," the governor, a Democrat, said earlier this week.

The center, in the city of Wilmore, was until last month able to avoid an outbreak by screening veterans and employees and aggressive testing.

The governor says the facility has been following all of the guidelines and that the rate of positive tests appears to be declining, according to CNN. 

Of the 86 infections, 24 veteran died, 48 veterans have recovered, five are in the hospital and nine are being treated within the center, Beshear also said.

He said roughly 63 staff members also have tested positive, with 52 having recovered and 11 others still considered active cases. 

Beshear also seemed to put the blame to all state residents, saying, "because we Kentuckians have failed to stop community spread thus far, we can't keep it out of places like this."