403 articles by Omer Yusuf :

• July 2020

  • Contact tracing begins in restaurants

    With contact tracing in restaurants starting today, you’ll need to give your name and number when you visit a local dining room.

    By Jennifer Biggs, Omer Yusuf July 10, 2020

  • Haushalter: Some test results taking more than a week

    Shelby County Health Department Director Alisa Haushalter said the agency is facing increasing challenges with through-put testing. There are situations where it is taking more than a week to get results back, she said.

    By Omer Yusuf July 09, 2020

  • Health Department closing bars, issuing restaurant closing time restraints

    Shelby County Health Department Director Alisa Haushalter said taking these steps to reduce transmission will help with the plan to reopen schools in the fall.

    By Omer Yusuf July 08, 2020

  • Shelby County averaging nearly 300 COVID-19 cases a day in past 14 days

    Since pausing a move to Phase 3, COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and overall positivity rate continued to rise locally with little signs of changing in the immediate future.

    By Omer Yusuf July 08, 2020

  • Official: CDC in town to support coronavirus efforts

    Ahead of the Fourth of July weekend, City of Memphis COO Doug McGowen recalled the other times that Americans stepped up and made a difference, and said that’s what needed to take on this pandemic.

    By Omer Yusuf July 02, 2020

  • As COVID-19 transmission spreads, conversation about phasing continues

    Shelby County reported its highest single-day increase of new coronavirus cases with 394 Thursday. Over the past seven days, the county is averaging 273 new cases a day.

    By Omer Yusuf July 02, 2020

  • Fourth of July weekend activities in Shelby County

    This Fourth of July weekend will look a lot of different because of COVID-19, but there are still multiple activities throughout Shelby County for those to celebrate and enjoy the holiday.

    By Omer Yusuf July 02, 2020

  • County averaging more than 200 COVID-19 cases a day the past 2 weeks

    During that span, Shelby County recorded its four highest single-day increases in new cases and exceeded a 10% daily positivity rate in 10 of the past 14 days. 

    By Omer Yusuf July 01, 2020

• June 2020

  • Concern COVID-19 cases could increase after July 4th weekend

    After new COVID-19 cases rose following Mother’s Day and Memorial Day holidays, Shelby County Health Department’s health officer Dr. Bruce Randolph is concerned the same will occur after the Fourth of July weekend.

    By Omer Yusuf June 30, 2020

  • Official: About 13% of local population tested for coronavirus

    Shelby County has performed more coronavirus tests than any other county in the state, according to Health Officer Dr. Bruce Randolph.

    By Omer Yusuf June 30, 2020

  • Minority communities deal with confusion, mistrust about COVID-19

    When public health agencies are not familiar to residents, it’s difficult to penetrate those communities during a crisis. “That’s like not having a military until you get attacked. It’s a bit too late,” says Shelby County Commission member Reginald Milton.

    By Omer Yusuf, Linda A. Moore June 29, 2020

  • Health Department: 232 hospitalized locally for coronavirus

    David Sweat, head of epidemiology at the Shelby County Health Department, said the age of those hospitalized has gone down since the pandemic started.

    By Omer Yusuf June 25, 2020

  • County to remain in Phase 2 for ‘unforeseeable future’ as cases rise

    In the past two weeks, the county reported at least 100 new cases 11 times and the three highest day-over-day increases to date. The record increase being 385 new cases reported Saturday, June 20.

    By Omer Yusuf June 24, 2020

  • Haushalter: No decisions have been made to modify Phase 2

    Shelby County Health Department Director Alisa Haushalter attributes the increase in cases among young people to carelessness as the community moves into Phase 2, more people going out in the warm weather, and too few people wearing masks.

    By Omer Yusuf June 23, 2020

  • Recent spike in COVID-19 cases not linked to protests or Memorial Day

    Over the past eight days, Shelby County recorded its three highest day-over-day increases since the pandemic began locally in March. Saturday’s report of 385 new cases from the health department being the high point.

    By Omer Yusuf June 23, 2020

  • Shelby County reports third largest increase of new COVID-19 cases

    The Health Department reported 210 new cases on Monday continuing a trend of rising numbers and increased concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic. 

    By Omer Yusuf June 22, 2020

  • Binghampton’s first grocery store to close June 30

    Two years after opening the first grocery in Binghampton, the Save-A-Lot at Tillman and Sam Cooper is closing at the end of the month.

    By Omer Yusuf June 19, 2020

  • Coronavirus cases continue to rise locally as transmission spreads

    From June 3 to Wednesday, Shelby County averaged 131 new cases and 1,558 tests results a day with an 8.4% positive rate. Five of the six highest single-day totals of new coronavirus cases in Shelby County occurred in the past two weeks.

    By Omer Yusuf June 17, 2020

  • Public health experts reiterate importance of wearing a mask

    Over the past week, now much younger people in their 20s and 30s are being hospitalized, according to officials. 

    By Omer Yusuf June 16, 2020

  • Shelby County records highest coronavirus case total

    The Shelby County Health Department confirmed 256 new cases Monday, surpassing the previous single-day increases on June 9, with 192 new cases and June 2, with 190 new cases.

    By Omer Yusuf June 15, 2020

  • This time, the protests inspire hope

    What makes these protests different for me is that I’ve seen how they can influence conversation and bring about change – in both Minneapolis and Memphis. 

    By Omer Yusuf June 13, 2020

  • Neighborhood leaders reconnect in first meeting since COVID-19 pandemic

    Rice hopes the Frayser Exchange Club resumes in-person meetings in the next month or two at Impact Baptist Church and Ministries on Clifton Avenue. That’s almost entirely dependent on how the pandemic’s status locally.

    By Omer Yusuf June 11, 2020

  • Shelby County coronavirus cases continue to rise as testing levels off

    Following an increase in new cases over the past two weeks, the Shelby County Health Department announced Monday plans to delay a move into Phase 3 until at least June 15.

    By Omer Yusuf June 10, 2020

  • Monday protest canceled due to weather

    Rain brought a cancellation of Monday evening’s planned protest by DeVante Hill and Frank Gottie. 

    By Yolanda Jones, Omer Yusuf June 08, 2020

  • Protest blog, Day 12: Individuals’ stories add meaning to rally

    A grieving mother's account, and a man who says he participated in the 1968 I Am A Man march add poignancy to Sunday evening demonstrations.

    By The Daily Memphian Staff June 08, 2020