Note: This story was last updated at 7:35 p.m.
COVID-19 cases in Tennessee rose by about 1,800 on Wednesday, another new high as the case count surges in Tennessee.
The previous high of 1,410 new cases was just five days ago, on Friday, June 26.
There were five new deaths reported Wednesday and 50 new hospitalizations. Current hospitalizations climbed from 527 on Monday to 574 on Tuesday.
Tennessee has now averaged more than 1,000 new cases per day for the last four days, which is a new trend. It’s not clear how long that trend might continue, if it continues.
The case count in Tennessee is now up to 45,315, according to the Tennessee Department of Health. There have been 609 deaths and 2,715 hospitalizations.
The state reports 28,283 recoveries.
The average number of new cases per day in Anderson County in the past two weeks has ticked up slightly to 2.57. There are now 104 confirmed and probable cases in Anderson County. There have been two deaths and 69 recoveries, and there are 33 active cases.
Statewide, there were 24,743 new tests reported Wednesday, which is high compared to the recent range between, roughly, 5,000 and 15,000 tests per day.
The positivity rate was 7.3 percent on Wednesday, about the same as the past few days.
While the total number of current hospitalizations has risen, the statewide hospitalization and death rates have fallen compared to earlier in the pandemic, with the hospitalization rate declining faster than the death rate. The hospitalization rate is now about 6 percent, and the death rate is roughly 1.3 percent.
The recovery rate has also fallen slightly to 62 percent.
The highest number of cases in the state are in Shelby County, which includes Memphis in West Tennessee. The case count there is 10,344. There have been 193 deaths in Shelby County.
More than 9,700 cases have been reported in Davidson County, which includes Nashville in Middle Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Health has reported 114 total deaths there.
Other counties with case counts of more than 1,000 include Rutherford (Nashville area), with 2,648 cases and 35 deaths; Hamilton (Chattanooga area), with 2,532 cases and 30 deaths; Trousdale (Turner Trousdale Correctional Center), with 1,489 cases and five deaths; Sumner (Nashville area), with 1,469 cases and 52 deaths; and Williamson (Nashville area), with 1,090 cases and 14 deaths.
The number of cases in Knox County, which includes Knoxville and is adjacent to Anderson County, has increased to 982. There have been five deaths in Knox County.
Here is COVID-19 case information about other counties surrounding Anderson County:
- Loudon County has reported 263 cases and one death.
- Roane County has reported 46 cases and no deaths.
- Campbell County has reported 39 cases and one death.
- Morgan County has reported 24 cases and one death.
- Scott County has reported 15 cases and no deaths.
- Union County has reported 13 cases and no deaths.
COVID-19 is a new, contagious respiratory illness that can be deadly and can cause a range of health issues that can last weeks or months, including fevers, body aches, fatigue, coughing, and breathing problems, among other reported symptoms. The long-term effects remain unknown.
It can be spread by respiratory droplets from coughing, sneezing, talking, and singing.
The disease appears to be especially deadly to patients who are 61 years old and older, according to data from the Tennessee Department of Health. In Tennessee, the number of deaths starts rising in the 41-50 age group, and it continues to climb in older age groups. There have been between 115 and 203 deaths in the three oldest age groups: 61-70, 71-80, and 81 and older.
While some people report no symptoms or mild symptoms, others become seriously ill, sometimes for weeks, and the effects can sometimes last for months. Others are admitted to the hospital, and some end up in intensive care and on ventilators.
To help prevent the virus from spreading, officials have been repeatedly recommending that residents wear a face mask or covering when they are out of the house and around others, maintain a distance of at least six feet from other people when possible, and wash their hands frequently.
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