Coronavirus live blog May 17: State reports 100 new cases
National Guard medics and The University of Tennessee Health Science Center staff collect nasal swabs as hundreds of Memphians line up for COVID-19 testing at the Christ Community testing site in Hickory Hill on Wednesday, May 6, 2020. For the second time, testing is being made available to residents not showing symptoms of the disease. (Mark 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
- Wear a mask when you are out in public
- Cover your nose and mouth with a disposable tissue or flexed elbow when you cough or sneeze
- Avoid close contact (within 6 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
Mississippi adds 173 cases Sunday
Mississippi State Department of Health reported 173 new cases of the novel coronavirus Sunday for a total of 11,296 since March 11.
MSDH additionally reported 11 new deaths.
DeSoto County has seen 386 cases according to MSDH. Five people have died from complications of the virus. Two long-term care facilities in the northwest county have outbreaks. One person died in a facility. MSDH declined to identify facilities with outbreaks.
In Marshall County, 66 people have contracted the virus and three have died.
The state reports 6,268 have presumably recovered.
So far 113,126 people have been tested in the Magnolia State, and 9.9% are positive.
Germantown cancels July 4th festivities due to coronavirus
The city of Germantown has canceled its July Fourth festivities due to coronavirus concerns.
Thousands of people gather to watch the show each year, Pam Beasley, parks and recreation director said in a release. State and local guidelines will not allow large public gatherings for some time.
“While this is an annual event we look forward to every summer, we must continue to keep public health at the forefront,” Mayor Mike Palazzolo said in the release. “We can still celebrate our nation’s independence and look forward to a day when it is safe for us to gather as a community again.
Parks and Recreation is looking for ways to make events virtual or smaller events that would allow people to gather in a socially distant manner.
State reports 100 new COVID-19 cases
Tennessee Department of Health reported 100 new cases of COVID-19 Sunday for a total of 17,388 since it first arrived in the state.
The state is reporting 3,726 cases in Shelby County.
The state says 9,652 people have recovered, and 298 people have died from complications of the virus. Three of the deaths were new Sunday.
Eight new hospitalizations were reported for a total of 1,482.
The state says 325,280 tests have been performed in Tennessee. Saturday 5,079 people were tested.
Local coronavirus cases, by the numbers
Shelby County reports 78 new cases, no new deaths
The Shelby County Health Department confirmed 78 new COVID-19 cases Sunday morning. No additional deaths were reported.
The total number of cases in the county is now 3,719, up from Saturday’s report of 3,641 cases.
In Shelby County, 84 individuals have died from complications of the virus.
The total number of tests administered in Shelby County is now 51,539.
As of Sunday morning, 2,423 people in Shelby County are considered as having recovered from COVID-19.
Statewide, there are 17,288 confirmed COVID-19 cases, and the total number of confirmed deaths in the state is 295
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.