Oak Ridge Today

COVID-19 cases up to 1,203 in Tenn. with six deaths

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Note: This story was last updated at 9:30 a.m. March 29.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Tennessee increased to 1,203 on Friday, according to the Tennessee Department of Health.

That’s up from 957 on Thursday, a 23 percent increase.

It’s up more than five times from 228 the previous week (Friday, March 20).

There are now four cases confirmed in Anderson County. That’s up from three on Thursday. It’s not clear if the four cases include the two that have been publicly disclosed, one at the Anderson County Courthouse and one at Y-12 National Security Complex, because it’s not clear where those two patients live or were tested.

There have been six deaths in Tennessee due to COVID-19 and 103 hospitalizations, the Tennessee Department of Health said in its afternoon list published Friday.

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COVID-19: 3 cases in Anderson; 53 hospitalizations, 3 deaths in Tenn.

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Note: This story was last updated at 2:55 p.m.

The Tennessee Department of Health on Wednesday reported three cases of COVID-19 in Anderson County; a total of 53 hospitalizations so far, although some patients could have been discharged; and three deaths in Tennessee from the contagious respiratory illness.

Oak Ridge Today has reported on two cases in Anderson County, one at the Anderson County Courthouse and the other at the Y-12 National Security Complex. It’s not clear where the third case is.

The total number of confirmed cases in Tennessee climbed to 784 on Wednesday. That was up from 667 on Tuesday and 615 on Monday. The total number of confirmed cases had increased eight times from 98 one week earlier, on Wednesday, March 18.

The state total may not reflect what is being reported in cities and counties and can be lower because there can be a lag between what is being reported to city and county health departments and what is reported by the state.

At least some of the increase in the state’s numbers has been attributed to more testing. But it’s not clear how much of the increase in the number of confirmed cases is due to more testing.

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COVID-19 cases rise to 505 in Tenn.; Loudon reports first case

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Note: This story was updated at 4:40 p.m.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Tennessee rose to 505 on Sunday, a 36 percent increase from Saturday, when the total was 371.

The first case was reported in Loudon County south of Anderson County on Sunday. Cases have previously been reported in Anderson County and four surrounding counties: Campbell, Knox, Roane, and Scott.

About 50 percent of COVID-19 cases continues to be among patients who are 21 to 40 years old.

About 47 percent of cases are in three Nashville-area counties: Davidson (167), Sumner (22), and Williamson (48).

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COVID-19 count up to 371 as Roane, Scott report first cases

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Note: This story was last updated at 2 p.m. March 22.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Tennessee increased to 371 on Saturday, up from 228 on Friday, as Roane County and Scott County reported their first cases.

That’s a 63 percent increase from Friday to Saturday. It followed a 48 percent increase from Thursday to Friday and a 57 percent increase from Wednesday to Thursday.

Anderson County reported its first case of the contagious respiratory illness on Thursday.

The list published by the Tennessee Department of Health at 2 p.m. Central time on Saturday included two cases in Scott County and one case in Roane County. No additional information was immediately available about the three cases.

Cases in Knox County and Campbell County were reported earlier.

There are now COVID-19 cases in 33 of Tennessee’s 95 counties. The largest number of cases is still in Davidson County, which includes Nashville. There are 140 cases there, or about 38 percent of the state’s total. That’s up from 101 cases on Friday.

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COVID-19 cases rise to 228 in Tennessee

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Note: This story was updated at 3:50 p.m.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Tennessee rose to 228 on Friday, up from 154 on Thursday. The new total includes the first confirmed case in Anderson County.

The number of cases increased about 48 percent from Thursday to Friday.

The 48 percent jump from Thursday to Friday followed a 57 percent increase from Wednesday to Thursday. That increase, the largest day-to-day increase, was due to more tests being available, said Lisa Piercey, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Health.

The contagious respiratory illness, which can be lethal, is now reported in 26 of Tennessee’s 95 counties, up from 17 counties on Thursday. Besides Anderson County, Blount County is reporting its first new case.

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Most court proceedings suspended after emergency declared

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Most state and local court proceedings have been suspended in Tennessee through the end of the month after a state of emergency was declared in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The suspension of in-person proceedings in state and local courts applies to municipal, juvenile, general sessions, trial, and appellate courts. It started at the close of business on Friday, March 13, and continues through Tuesday, March 31, according to an order by the Tennessee Supreme Court.

There are exceptions, including proceedings that protect the constitutional rights of criminal defendants such as bond-related hearings and plea agreements for people in jail; proceedings for relief from abuse, including orders of protection; proceedings for emergency child custody orders; Department of Children’s Services emergency matters related to protecting children; and proceedings related to petitions for emergency mental health orders, the emergency protection of elderly or vulnerable people, and the COVID-19 public health emergency.

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So far, about half of Tennessee’s COVID-19 patients are 21-40 years old

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As of Thursday, about half of the 154 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Tennessee were diagnosed in people between 21-40 years old, according to numbers published by the Tennessee Department of Health.

The highest number of cases, 43, were confirmed in people 21 to 30 years old, the data said. That’s about 28 percent of cases.

The next-highest number of cases, 32, were confirmed in people 31-40 years old, the health department said. That’s about 21 percent of cases.

Together, those two age groups account for 75 cases, or about 49 percent of the total.

There is a smaller number of cases, 24, or about 16 percent, in the 41- to 50-year-old age group.

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TN Dept. of Health authorizes testing for COVID-19 seven days per week

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The Tennessee Department of Health announced Sunday that it has authorized testing for COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus, seven days per week.

The testing is in response to growing concern about the virus and the illness it causes, the department said.

It wasn’t immediately clear how often the testing was authorized before.

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Updated: Two more coronavirus cases diagnosed in Tennessee

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Image courtesy Tennessee Department of Health/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Note This story was last updated at 11 p.m.

Two more cases of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by a new coronavirus, have been diagnosed in Tennessee, bringing the total number of cases to three, the Tennessee Department of Health said Sunday.

The health department said it was announcing the two new cases in coordination with two metro health departments in Nashville and Shelby County.

The Tennessean newspaper reported that the Nashville patient is an adult woman who is cooperating with a voluntary self-isolation at home in Davidson County, and state health officials are trying to determine how she was infected. The Shelby County patient is a non-elderly adult who recently traveled to another state and is now hospitalized.

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Updated: City prepares for coronavirus as first case reported in Tennessee

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Note: This story was last updated at 5:45 p.m.

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson on Tuesday outlined preparations in the city for a potential coronavirus outbreak. Two days later, on Thursday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee reported that the first case of coronavirus, which has spread across the globe, has been confirmed in the state.

In Oak Ridge, Watson said, there is initial public safety planning to identify local efforts to protect residents, and local officials are communicating with schools and hospitals. The Anderson County Department of Health and Tennessee Department of Health are in frequent contact with the city, Watson said.

Procedures that are in place under the city’s emergency operations manuals are being adapted to account for the effects of viruses such as the coronavirus, and protocols and procedures are being established for city employees who will be in contact with potential infections, Watson said.

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Presidential primary is today in Tennessee

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The presidential and county primary elections are today in Tennessee.

It’s Super Tuesday, and voters in 14 states, including Tennessee, will help select the Democratic Party nominee for president. More than 1,300 delegates are at stake.

Candidates still running for president in the Democratic primary are former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii.

Other candidates appear on the ballot, but they have ended or suspended their campaigns. That includes candidates who have dropped out in the past few days: Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, and Tom Steyer.

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Cannabis in Tennessee to be discussed Tuesday

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Cannabis in Tennessee will be discussed at “Lunch with the League” in Oak Ridge on Tuesday.

The speaker will be Patricia K. Freeland, professor and associate head of the Department of Political Science at the University of Tennessee, a press release said.

The meeting will be held from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, which is located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

A long-time educator, Freeland has had an extensive and interesting career in all aspects of public administration and public policy, the press release said. She has written numerous books and articles on public administration, food policy, technology policy (drones), religion, and politics.

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