Coronavirus: After high positivity rate, numbers come back down
A health care worker with Christ Community Health Services tests a patient for COVID-19 at First Baptist Church on Broad Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee June 19, 2020. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
Clarification: On Monday, the Shelby County Health Department reported 125 new coronavirus cases from 161 tests, which would give the day a positivity rate of 77.6%. During the Tuesday COVID-19 Joint Task Force briefing, chief epidemiologist David Sweat said there had been a “glitch” and that the number was actually 1,500. Public information Chip Washington confirmed that the number was 1,521. That would give the day a positivity rate of 8.2%.
On Tuesday, the Health Department reported 146 new coronavirus cases from 2,572 tests, giving today a positivity rate of 5.7%.
In addition to the 146 new cases, the Shelby County Health Department reported no new related deaths on Tuesday.
The latest hospital data available was from 5 p.m. Sept. 4. At that time, 86% of area intensive care unit and 90% of area acute care beds were available.
There were also 228 COVID-positive patients in area hospitals then; 83 of those were in ICU.
Tennessee Department of Health reports statewide coronavirus statistics at 2 p.m. daily.
As of Monday, Sept. 7, the agency reported 165,109 coronavirus cases, including 1,869 deaths, 826 current hospitalizations and 146,213 inactive cases/recoveries.
More than 2.3 million coronavirus tests have been performed in Tennessee.
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coronavirus Shelby County Health Department Tennessee Department of Health Tennessee Healthcare Resource SystemElle Perry
A native Memphian, Elle Perry has earned graduate degrees from the University of Memphis and Maryland Institute College of Art. She’s written for publications including the Memphis Business Journal, Memphis Flyer and High Ground News, and previously served as coordinator of The Teen Appeal.
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