Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

COVID-19 Hotline (800) 722-5725

 Please note: COVID-19 is a reportable disease in Kentucky

The Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) actively is responding to the COVID-19 situation. Our State Health Operations Center is operating at Level 1, its highest activation level. This respiratory disease was first detected in a Kentucky resident on March 6, 2020.

For the latest information and prevention updates, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2019 novel coronavirus site

Healthcare providers, laboratories, and local public health professionals, visit the COVID-19 Healthcare Providers and Laboratory Services site for the most current guidance.

Who is at risk for COVID-19

The current risk for COVID-19 to people in Kentucky is low. Evidence to date indicates those most at risk for becoming ill with COVID-19 are:

• Those in close contact with someone with a confirmed COVID-19 infection, including healthcare workers

and

• Those who have traveled in the past 14 days in countries with ongoing community spread of the virus.

If you recently have traveled outside the country, please check the list of countries with sustained COVID-19 transmission on the CDC Travel Health Notices website.

Travelers returning from one of the countries with community spread of COVID-19 should monitor themselves for fever and other symptoms of COVID-19, including cough and shortness of breath, for 14 days after they return from one of those countries.

If you have developed a fever or respiratory symptoms and believe you have had exposure to a known case or traveled to an area with community spread, isolate yourself from others in your home and contact your healthcare provider or local health department to describe your symptoms and any recent travel before you go to the healthcare facility.

Community Guidance

Current recommendations for social distancing in Kentucky include:

1. If you are 60 years old or older and/or have diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, kidney failure or other chronic major medical conditions, we recommend you avoid densely populated community events and consult this CDC guidance.
2. Nursing homes and other long-term care facilities are advised to restrict visitors and consult this DPH guidance
3. Working people, students, employers and schools are advised to plan actively for telework/distance learning options appropriate for their situations and support all workers/students to stay at home if they are ill.
4. Only go to the emergency department for an illness that would have taken you to the hospital before the COVID-19 outbreak. If you have runny nose, cough, fever or other common respiratory infection symptoms, take Tylenol- or Motrin-like products and stay home from work or school until you are fever-free. If you think you need medical care, please contact your healthcare provider for their instruction or visit an emergency department if you believe you have an emergency.

This guidance will continue to change as circumstances warrant.