Coronavirus: Highest number of new cases in nearly a month
Lt. Mark Johnson administers a Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at the Union Mission March 19, 2021. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
The Shelby County Health Department reported 175 new coronavirus cases on Friday, April 2. That’s the highest new number of daily cases since March 5, when the agency reported 178 new cases.
The 175 cases come from 3,235 tests, giving the day a positivity rate of 5.4%.
The Health Department reported no new coronavirus-related deaths.
Shelby County’s reported coronavirus total is now 91,524 cases, 1,180 active cases, 88,774 inactive cases and 1,570 deaths.
Statewide, 22.78% of people have received at least one coronavirus vaccine dose; in Shelby County, 24.7% of people have received at least one coronavirus vaccine dose. In all, 116,209 people have been fully vaccinated in Shelby County.
The state’s Department of Health reports that more than 1 million Tennesseans are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.
The latest available area hospital capacity data is current as of 5 p.m., March 31.
There were 145 COVID-positive patients in area hospital beds as of 5 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Tennessee Healthcare Resource Tracking System.
According to the HRTS, 91% of area ICU and 90% of area acute care beds were in use.
About 15% of patients in area ICU beds were COVID-positive (44) or suspected of having the coronavirus (6). About 6% of patients in area acute care beds were either COVID-positive (101) or suspected of having the coronavirus (16).
And 33 area ICU and 241 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 Thursday, Tennessee’s reported coronavirus total is 811,842 cases, including 11,904 deaths ,843 current hospitalizations and 786,959 inactive cases (recoveries).
About 7.2 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.