Coronavirus: New cases climb back above 200
Hope Lloyd, Deputy Director of the Memphis Fire Department, receives on coronavirus vaccionation on Monday, December 28, 2020. Health care and essential workers were among the first to receive the vaccine in Memphis. (Houston Cofield/Special To The Daily Memphian) (FILE)
In addition to 220 new coronavirus cases, the Shelby County Health Department also added 19 coronavirus-related deaths to the area’s totals Wednesday.
Those 19 deaths came from people who died between Dec. 17, 2020, and Feb. 19, 2021.
The new coronavirus cases came from 3,345 tests, giving the day a positivity rate of 6.57% and putting the area “in a very good place,” according to the Health Department’s David Sweat.
Shelby County’s reported coronavirus total is now 87,449 cases, including 84,627 inactive cases (recoveries), 1,343 active cases and 1,479 deaths.
According to the latest data, 79,423 people in Shelby County have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose; 35,052 people have received both COVID-19 vaccine doses, meaning they are fully vaccinated.
Overall, 114,475 total doses have been administered in Shelby County.
The area has also moved, this week, into Phase 1b of the state’s COVID-19 vaccination plan. This phase makes vaccination available to residents who are 65 years and older as well as teachers and child care staff, on an appointment-only basis. Slots are currently filled, but people can check online or call (901) 222-SHOT (7468) to be notified when appointments are available. People can also sign up for the VaxQueue standby list.
There were 239 COVID-positive patients in area hospital beds as of 5 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Tennessee Healthcare Resource Tracking System.
According to the HRTS, 90% of area ICU and 87% of area acute care beds were in use.
About 22% of patients in area ICU beds were COVID-positive (77) or suspected of having the coronavirus (2). About 8% of patients in area acute care beds were either COVID-positive (162) or suspected of having the coronavirus (2).
And 38 area ICU and 301 area acute care beds were available.
Bed capacity is calculated by subtracting beds occupied by patients, unstaffed beds and beds that are otherwise unavailable.
The capacity figures are inclusive of all hospital facilities in Shelby, Tipton and Lauderdale counties in Tennessee as well as facilities in Crittenden County, Arkansas, and DeSoto County, Mississippi.
The Tennessee Department of Health releases statewide coronavirus figures at 2 p.m. daily.
As of Wednesday, Tennessee’s reported coronavirus total was 768,946 cases, including 11,266 deaths, 972 current hospitalizations and 743,254 inactive cases (recoveries).
About 6,709,400 million coronavirus tests have been performed in Tennessee.
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coronavirus COVID 19 cases city of MemphisAllyson Brown
After living in Missouri, Illinois, Mississippi, Louisiana, California and Ohio, Allyson is happy to be home in Memphis. If you take a look by the Houston High School track, you can still catch her name on the leader board. She likes good food, music and sports. If you have a suggestion about one or the other, send it her way. Also, she’s happy to hear your story ideas.
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