Shelby County positivity rate nears 10%
Medical assistant Jasmine King swabs a drive-thru patient as staff from Christ Community Health Services administer COVID-19 tests at a tent behind the South Memphis clinic on March 21, 2020. (Jim Weber/Daily Memphian)
Shelby County’s overall positivity rate of coronavirus tests has increased yet again, nearing 10%.
On Wednesday, the Shelby County Health Department reported 429 new coronavirus cases (out of 2,330 tests), which gives the day a positivity rate of 18.4%. The overall positivity rate is now at 9.8%.
The positivity rate is the percentage of the tests that are positive. Officials have stressed the need for a positivity rate below 10%. Ten percent or higher, they have said, is indicative of community transmission.
The Health Department also reported five additional deaths from the disease.
In Shelby County, 180,902 coronavirus tests have been administered since the beginning of the pandemic. The county’s total is now 17,684 reported cases and 256 related deaths; 12,435 people are considered recovered from the disease.
According to the state’s Health Resource Tracking System, as of 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 22, 86% of regional intensive care unit and 90% of regional acute care beds were being used.
Of the 382 ICU patients, 112 were COVID-positive and another 29 were under investigation for the virus, meaning that about 37% of patients were either COVID-positive or under investigation for the virus.
And 61 ICU beds were available.
Of the 2,181 acute care patients, 218 were COVID-positive and another 146 were under investigation for the virus, meaning that about 17% of patients were either COVID-positive or under investigation for the virus.
And 236 acute care beds were available.
The hospital data above is reflective of facilities in Shelby, Lauderdale and Tipton counties in Tennessee, Crittenden County in Arkansas, and DeSoto County in Mississippi.
The Tennessee Department of Health reports statewide coronavirus data at 2 p.m. daily.
As of Wednesday, July 22, the agency reported 84,417 coronavirus cases, including 888 deaths, 3,907 hospitalizations and 49,748 people considered recovered.
In Tennessee, 1.3 million coronavirus tests have been performed.
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coronavirusElle 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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