Coronavirus: 26 new deaths reported
Christ Community Health Services staff members collect nasal swabs during at a drive-thru coronavirus testing site on Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020 on Lamar Ave. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)
The Shelby County Health Department reported around 220 new coronavirus cases for the second day in a row, but the number of deaths reported today was much higher, 26 compared to eight yesterday.
Shelby County’s reported total of 81,211 coronavirus cases includes 75,502 recoveries, 4,481 active cases and 1,228 deaths.
Wednesday’s 220 new cases come from 2,112 tests, giving the day a positivity rate of 10.4%.
There were 391 COVID-positive patients in area hospital beds as of 5 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Tennessee Healthcare Resource Tracking System.
According to the HRTS, 94% of area ICU and 89% of area acute care beds were in use.
About 30% of patients in area ICU beds were COVID-positive (113) or suspected of having the coronavirus (5). About 15% of patients in area acute care beds were either COVID-positive (278) or suspected of having the coronavirus (43).
And 31 area ICU and 263 area acute care beds were available.
Bed capacity is calculated by subtracting beds occupied by patients, unstaffed beds and beds that are otherwise unavailable.
The capacity figures are inclusive of all hospital facilities in Shelby, Tipton and Lauderdale counties in Tennessee as well as facilities in Crittenden County, Arkansas, and DeSoto County, Mississippi.
The Tennessee Department of Health releases statewide coronavirus figures at 2 p.m. daily.
As of Tuesday, Tennessee’s reported coronavirus total is 712,406 cases, including 9,162 deaths, 2,026 current hospitalizations and 662,533 inactive cases (recoveries).
About 6.2 million coronavirus tests have been performed in Tennessee.
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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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