Coronavirus: New case increase lowest in a week
A University of Tennessee Health Science Center employee works to process coronavirus samples at a lab Sept. 1, 2020. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
The 108 new coronavirus cases reported by the Shelby County Health Department on Tuesday was the lowest number reported in about a week’s time. On Monday, Sept. 14, the Health Department reported 105 cases.
The Health Department reported no new related deaths on Sept. 22. The lower numbers on Monday and Tuesday follow several days of 3-5 reported deaths each day.
The 108 new cases come from 1,564 tests, giving the day a positivity rate of 6.9%.
(Courtesy: Shelby County Health Department)
The reported coronavirus total in Shelby County is now 30,594 coronavirus cases, including 28,426 inactive cases/recoveries, 446 deaths and 1,722 active cases.
There were 159 COVID-positive patients in area hospital beds as of 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 21, per state data; 71 of those were in intensive care units.
According to the state’s Tennessee Healthcare Resource Tracking System, 86% of area acute care and 87% of area ICU beds were in use.
About 5% of area acute care patients were either COVID-positive (88) or suspected of having the virus (29). About 21% of area ICU patients were either COVID-positive (71) or suspected of having the virus (7).
And 339 area acute and 53 area ICU beds were available.
The Tennessee Department of Health reports statewide coronavirus figures at 2 p.m. daily.
As of Tuesday, Sept. 21, the agency reported 184,409 coronavirus cases, including 2,233 deaths, 693 current hospitalizations and 166,674 inactive cases/recoveries.
About 2.7 million coronavirus tests have been performed in Tennessee.
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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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