Coronavirus live blog: 1,731 cases and 37 deaths in Shelby; 17,407 have been tested
Memphians (some masked) go about their business on the Main Street mall on April 16, 2020. New numbers by Unicast, a company that uses cellphone data to track human mobility, suggest that Shelby County residents arenÕt doing enough social distancing causing local health officials to worry about an uptick in cases. (Jim Weber/Daily Memphian)
Editor’s Note: The Daily Memphian is making our coronavirus coverage accessible to all readers — no subscription needed. Our journalists continue to work around the clock to provide you with the extensive coverage you need; if you can subscribe, please do.
You can protect yourself and help prevent the spread of coronavirus by:
- Wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds, with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub
- Cover your nose and mouth with a disposable tissue or flexed elbow when you cough or sneeze
- Avoid close contact (within six feet) with people
- Stay home and self-isolate from others in the household if you feel unwell
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth if your hands are not clean
To view the city’s stay-at-home order, click here.
Here’s the latest from Memphis and Shelby County, below, when it comes to dealing with the novel coronavirus. To view our full coverage, check out The Daily Memphian’s coronavirus landing page.
And, to get breaking news delivered directly to your inbox when it happens, opt in to our Breaking News updates here.
April 18, 2020
1,731 COVID-19 cases, 37 deaths reported in Shelby County
The Shelby County Health Department confirmed the number of positive COVID-19 cases has risen to 1,731, in a Saturday morning release.
The number of deaths from COVID-19 has increased to 37.
The report points to a total of 115 new cases since the health department confirmed 1,616 cases of COVID-19 on Friday morning.
In its Friday afternoon report, the Tennessee Department of Health confirmed 1,682 cases.
The latest coronavirus cases, by the numbers
April 17, 2020
Suburbs extend executive orders
Mayors in Arlington, Bartlett, Lakeland and Millington extended their executive orders Friday.
Both emergency declarations and “Safer at Home” orders are in effect for an additional seven days. Non-essential businesses should remain closed and food establishment may only offer off-site consumption options.
The “Safer at Home” order prohibits gatherings of more than 10 people and encourages people to only leave home for essential trips.
Collierville and Germantown mayors put emergency declarations and “Safer at Home” orders in place that are in effect until rescinded by the respective mayor.
Federal court allows abortions to resume
At the request of the Center for Reproductive Rights, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the American Civil Liberties Union and the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee — a federal district court?in Tennessee granted an emergency motion Friday, April 17, 2020, allowing clinics to resume procedural abortions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The decision comes after Gov. Bill Lee issued a state order limiting “non-emergency” health care procedures. That order banned all abortions other than medication abortions (which involve taking pills and are only available until 11 weeks of pregnancy), despite leading national medical groups agreeing that abortion procedures are essential and time-sensitive.
In his decision, Judge Bernard Friedman wrote, “Moreover, abortion is a time-sensitive procedure. Delaying a woman’s access to abortion even by a matter of days can result in her having to undergo a lengthier and more complex procedure that involves progressively greater health risks, or can result in her losing the right to obtain an abortion altogether. Therefore, plaintiffs have demonstrated that enforcement of EO-25 causes them irreparable harm.”
“The court’s decision today ensures that women in Tennessee can continue to make their own decisions about pregnancy and parenting based on what is best for their families,” said Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the ACLU of Tennessee. “Abortion is time-sensitive essential health care and the COVID-19 crisis cannot be used to prevent women from obtaining abortions. Especially during a pandemic, it is crucial that women have access to a full range of health services, including abortion, to ensure their health and wellbeing.”
“We are pleased that the courts understand the essential medical necessity of time-sensitive abortion services and that delaying such care threatens people’s health and well-being, especially during this pandemic crisis,” said Corinne Rovetti APRN-BC, co-director of the Knoxville Center for Reproductive Health. “Tennesseans needing abortion services will feel enormous relief knowing they will not be forced to carry a pregnancy to term, or attempt to travel out of state in order to access this essential care.”
Governor allows more flexibility for first responders, health care personnel
The order’s provisions include, among others:
- Extending until October 1 the July 1 deadline for firefighters to obtain a medical examination making them eligible for certain employment-related cancer benefits;
- Suspending the collaborating physician requirement for nurse practitioners and physician assistants to provide increased flexibility regarding where these professionals can provide health care services to facilitate the COVID-19 response;
- Allowing nursing school graduates waiting to take the national nursing exam to go to work during the emergency under the supervision of a licensed nurse to boost health care resources;
- Allowing nurse practitioners and physician assistants to write orders for home health services to address the increased need for such services;
- Expanding the facilities in which autopsies may be performed to address the potential need for increased autopsies;
- Allowing medical laboratory personnel to work from home in reviewing data and reporting results;
- Protecting HIPAA information sent by the Department of Health to first responders and law enforcement personnel by making disclosure agreements the equivalent of an emergency order
- Extending the price gouging law for another 15-day period (the maximum allowed under law).
COVID-19 in Tennessee
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.