Coronavirus: Area hospitalizations nearing 600
A University of Tennessee Health Science Center employee works to process coronavirus samples at a lab in September. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian file)
There were 573 COVID-positive patients in area hospital beds as of 5 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Tennessee Healthcare Resource Tracking System; 162 in intensive care unit beds and 411 in acute care beds.
About 42% of patients in area ICU beds were either COVID-positive (162) or suspected of having coronavirus (14) and about 22% of patients in area acute care beds were either COVID-positive (411) or suspected of having coronavirus (65).
According to the HRTS, 95% of area ICU beds and 91% of area acute care beds were in use; 23 area ICU and 199 area acute care beds were available.
Bed usage figures are calculated by subtracting the number of beds that are occupied by patients, unstaffed and otherwise unavailable.
The hospital capacity data above includes all hospital facilities in Shelby, Tipton and Lauderdale counties in Tennessee; Crittenden County, Arkansas; and DeSoto County, Mississippi.
The Shelby County Health Department reported 449 new coronavirus cases and five new related deaths on Wednesday, Dec. 23.
The 449 cases come from 3,589 tests, giving the day a positivity rate of 12.5%.
(Courtesy: Shelby County Health Department)
Shelby County’s reported coronavirus total is now 62,783 cases, including 55,325 inactive cases (recoveries), 6,632 active cases and 826 deaths.
The Tennessee Department of Health releases statewide coronavirus figures at 2 p.m. daily.
As of Tuesday, the state’s coronavirus total was 534,019 cases, including 6,269 deaths, 2,888 current hospitalizations and 447,996 inactive cases (recoveries).
About 5.4 million coronavirus tests have been performed in Tennessee.
Topics
coronavirus Shelby County Health Department 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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