NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to set new records in Tennessee, the latest updates reveal.
Revised numbers show there were 1,502 hospitalized patients with confirmed cases of the coronavirus as of Wednesday night. There were another 203 people in the state's hospitals who were listed as possible cases awaiting confirmation.
The combined number of 1,705 confirmed cases and persons under investigation was an all-time high for the state of Tennessee.
Overnight data from Thursday night was incomplete, with reports still pending for four facilities that normally report.
Statewide, hospital bed and ICU bed capacity appeared to hold steady as facilities adjust, in some cases cancelling elective surgeries that require overnight stays.
There were 268 ICU beds still available, about 13 percent of capacity, according to the latest data from the Tennessee Department of Health.
Some 1,934 hospital floor beds remained available, 17 percent of capacity.
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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.
