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On Tuesday, the Clark County Public Health Director Becky Kissick said she was pleased to report there were no new cases of COVID-19 that day in Clark County and that three community members had met criteria for recovery. But on Wednesday, the Health Department reported seven new positive cases of the virus, including child and adult cases, all of them community members rather than Fountain Circle nursing home residents. And on Thursday, there were seven more cases, including two children and adults ranging in age from 31 to 64.

The Health Department reported that it is currently working 49 active cases of the total of 164 cases the county has had this year. Of that number, 17 are residents of Fountain Circle, two are staff of the nursing home, and 29 are community members.

In his daily press briefing Wednesday, Gov. Andy Beshear reported 402 new coronavirus cases, the the second highest one-day total yet.

On Thursday, the total number of cases in the state surpassed 18,000.

Among the deaths Beshear reported Wednesday was a 93-year-old woman from Clark County. More than 600 Kentuckians have been lost to the virus.

There have been more than 450,000 coronavirus tests performed in Kentucky.

Also during his press conference Thursday, the governor announced that he would be signing an executive order, effective 5 p.m. Friday, to require masks be worn in public places except for people encumbered by health issues. The order will expire in 30 days, and he will consider then whether to renew it.