NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The number of people hospitalized in Tennessee with COVID-19 is skyrocketing, with ICU capacity reaching its lowest point of the pandemic.
Now, there are only 191 ICU beds still available for the entire state.
The latest overnight numbers show there are 1,713 people in Tennessee hospitals with confirmed COVID cases, up more than 200 in just the last three days.
BREAKING: The number of people hospitalized in Tennessee with #COVID19 is skyrocketing. There are now 1,713 people in Tennessee hospitals with confirmed COVID cases, up more than 200 in just the last three days. 1/ pic.twitter.com/HJDASG3xQ8
— Phil Williams (@NC5PhilWilliams) November 11, 2020
There are another 191 people hospitalized with possible cases of the coronavirus awaiting confirmation, the data shows.
Statewide, the 191 remaining ICU beds represent nine percent of the state's capacity, although multiple facilities across Tennessee have reported being full in recent weeks.
There are 1,781 floor hospital beds still available, 15 percent of capacity, the data shows.Experts expect the strain on Tennessee hospitals to grow even more intense in the coming days and weeks as the virus continues to spread.
Already, in the first 10 days of November, there have been 29,077 new COVID cases reported in the Volunteer State.
If that trend continues, Tennessee could hit 90,000 new cases this month. There were 64,533 new cases in October, which was the worst month of the pandemic in terms of new reported cases.
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See all our coronavirus coverage here
COUNTY-BY-COUNTY CASES IN TENNESSEE
What is COVID-19 (a.k.a. the new coronavirus?)
According to the World Health Organization, coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. Examples include the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV)and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans. COVID-19 stands for "Coronavirus disease 2019," which is when this strain of the coronavirus was discovered.
What are the symptoms?
The CDC says patients confirmed to have the 2019-nCoV reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with:
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Or at least two of the following symptoms:
- Fever
- Chills
- Repeated shaking with chills
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell
At this time, the CDC believes symptoms could appear as soon as two days after exposure, or as long as 14 days.
Prevention
The CDC is recommending "common sense" measures such as:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
