These numbers for accurate as of the article's publish date: March 24. The update for March 25 is located here.
There are now 777 reported cases of the coronavirus in the state of Tennessee, according to an independent count by NewsChannel 5. Two Tennesseans have died from the virus.
NewsChannel 5 is keeping an independent count of cases due to discrepancies between state and local numbers. According to the Tennessee Department of Health, “the labs notify local jurisdictions first, so public health and providers can follow up with those patients,” so our numbers may have higher reported cases in some counties than those provided by the state.
Davidson County has the highest number of cases at 257. Of the confirmed cases, one patient has died from complications due to the coronavirus. Three others remain hospitalized, while 34 people have recovered. The remaining 219 cases are self-isolating at home and have mild and manageable symptoms.
Shelby County has the second highest. Health officials said Tuesday morning there were 135 confirmed cases in Shelby County.
Below is a breakdown of the cases, using numbers from both TDH and local health departments:
- Anderson County - 1
- Blount County - 3
- Bradley County - 2
- Campbell County - 2
- Carroll County - 3
- Cheatham County - 5
- Chester County - 1
- Claiborne County - 1
- Cocke County - 1
- Cumberland County - 3
- Davidson County - 257
- DeKalb County - 1
- Dickson County - 5
- Dyer County - 2
- Fayette County - 2
- Franklin County - 1
- Gibson County - 2
- Greene County - 5
- Grundy County - 1
- Hamblen County - 2
- Hamilton County - 8
- Hardin County - 1
- Houston County - 1
- Jefferson County - 4
- Knox County - 15
- Lincoln County - 1
- Loudon County - 2
- Madison County - 1
- Marion County - 1
- Maury County - 6
- McMinn County - 2
- Montgomery County - 6
- Overton County - 1
- Perry County. -1
- Putnam County - 8
- Roane County -1
- Robertson County -12
- Rutherford County - 13
- Scott County - 1
- Sevier County - 2
- Shelby County - 135
- Sullivan County - 2
- Sumner County - 34
- Tipton County - 6
- Washington County - 7
- Wiliamson County - 64
- Wilson County - 7
- Resident of another state/country: 95
- Pending: 38
TDH said at least 12,000 people have been tested in the state.
The confirmed age ranges of patients in Tennessee are:
- 10 years old or younger: 9
- Between 11 and 20 years old: 41
- Between 21 and 30 years old: 193
- Between 31 and 40 years old: 136
- Between 41 and 50 years old: 89
- Between 51 and 60 years old: 91
- Between 61 and 70 years old: 65
- Between 71 and 80 years old: 34
- At least 80 years old: 12
Governor Bill Lee held his daily COVID-19 statewide update at 3 p.m.
During the governor's Tuesday update, he recommended that public schools remain closed until April 24. State employees are to continue working home until that date as well.
On Monday, Gov. Lee created a unified command to handle the new coronavirus outbreak.
He also issued an executive order to ban all elective surgeries at hospitals, surgery centers and dental offices. Local practitioners are asked to donate personal protective equipment to the nearest national guard armory. The executive order is in place through April 15.
Statewide, restaurants, bars and gyms have been ordered to close. Restaurants may still offer drive-thru, take-out, curbside or delivery services.
MORE TENNESSEE COVID-19 COVERAGE
- Mask mandate, capacity restrictions lifted in Nashville; what you need to know
- Tennessee, Metro to offer COVID-19 vaccine to children 12-15 years old
- Nashville's COVID-19 testing centers to adjust operating hours
- Walmart pharmacies in Tennessee now offering COVID-19 vaccines
- Donate to the COVID-19 Middle Tennessee Emergency Response Fund
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.
