NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tennessee hit another COVID-19 hospitalization record overnight as the number of cases of the virus continues to skyrocket.
The latest data from the Tennessee Department of Health shows there are now 1,394 people in the hospital with confirmed COVID-19 cases. That's up 60% from the first of the month.
BREAKING: Tennessee hit another #COVID19 hospitalization record overnight. The latest data shows there are now 1,394 people in hospitals with confirmed cases. That's up 60% from the first of the month. 1/ pic.twitter.com/r7sdL79Dec
— Phil Williams (@NC5PhilWilliams) October 29, 2020
In addition, there are another 135 patients in the hospital with possible COVID cases, awaiting confirmation.
Right now, hospital bed and ICU capacity appears to be stable as many hospitals are discontinuing elective surgeries that require overnight stays.
State data shows there are 250 intensive care beds available statewide, which is about 12 percent of capacity. There are 1,876 hospital beds still available, about 16 percent of capacity.
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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.
