Coronavirus: 15 related deaths reported since Wednesday
Christ Community Health Services staff members collect nasal swabs during a walk-up coronavirus testing event Sept. 17, 2020 at the Orange Mound Health Center. (Mark Weber/Daily Memphian)
The Shelby County Health Department has reported 15 new coronavirus related deaths in the past three days.
The Health Department also reported 160 new coronavirus cases on Friday, Sept. 18, in addition to the five new deaths.
Shelby County’s reported coronavirus total is now 29,957 cases, including 27,951 inactive cases/recoveries, 439 deaths, and 1,567 active cases.
The 160 new cases come from 3,334 tests, which gives the day a positivity rate of 4.8%.
The Health Department’s recent change in how it reports testing totals means that the number now reflects total testing volume. So, the testing total includes those that were tested more than once.
According to Health Department data, 416,920 total tests have been performed in Shelby County, but only 262,972 people have been tested.
There were 186 COVID-positive patients in area hospital beds as of 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, per state data; 71 of those were in intensive care units.
According to the Tennessee Healthcare Resource Tracking System, 89% of area ICU and 90% of area acute care beds were in use.
About 21% of area ICU patients were either COVID-positive (71) or suspected of having the virus (7). About 7% of area acute care patients were either COVID-positive (115) or suspected of having the virus (30).
And 47 area ICU and 237 area acute care beds were available.
The Tennessee Department of Health reports statewide coronavirus statistics at 2 p.m.
As of Thursday, Sept. 17, the agency reported 178,140 coronavirus cases, including 2,164 deaths, 823 current hospitalizations and 161,707 inactive cases/recoveries.
About 2.6 million tests have been performed in Tennessee.
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coronavirus Shelby County Health Department Tennessee Department of Health Tennessee Healthcare Resource Tracking SystemElle 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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