Local coronavirus test positivity rate increases again
Christ Community Health Center medical staff collect nasal swabs as hundreds of Memphians line up for COVID-19 testing at its site in Hickory Hill on Tuesday, May 19, 2020. (Mark Weber/Daily Memphian)
Since last Friday, the overall positivity rate of Shelby County coronavirus tests has increased five times, inching closer to 10%. As of Friday, July, 24, it is now at 9.9%.
The positivity rate is the percentage, out of all tests sent to the lab, that come back positive. Officials have stressed the need for a positivity rate below 10%. Ten percent or higher, they have said, is indicative of community transmission.
On Friday, the Shelby County Health Department reported 374 new coronavirus cases (out of 2,281 tests), which gives the day a positivity rate of 16.4%.
The Health Department also reported three additional deaths from the disease.
In Shelby County, 183,183 coronavirus tests have been administered since the beginning of the pandemic. The county’s total is now 18,058 reported cases and 259 related deaths; 12,819 people are considered recovered from the disease.
The amount of active cases is currently 4,980.
According to the state’s Health Resource Tracking System, as of 5 p.m. Thursday, July 23, 86% of regional intensive care unit and 90% of regional acute care beds were being used, the same percentages as the day before.
On Thursday, July 16, 91% of regional ICU and 90% of regional acute care beds were being used. There were 354 patients hospitalized for coronavirus compared to 336 currently.
Of the 395 current ICU patients, 114 were COVID-positive and another 26 were under investigation for the virus, meaning that about 35% of patients were either COVID-positive or under investigation for the virus.
And 66 ICU beds were available.
Of the 2,173 current acute care patients, 222 were COVID-positive and another 104 were under investigation for the virus, meaning that about 15% of patients were either COVID-positive or under investigation for the virus.
And 252 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 Thursday, July 23, the agency reported 86,987 coronavirus cases as of July 23, 2020 including 925 deaths, 4,016 hospitalizations and 51,661 recovered considered recovered.
In Tennessee, 1.3 million coronavirus tests have been performed.
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Topics
coronavirus Shelby County Health Department Tennessee Department of HealthElle 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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