Coronavirus in Tennessee updates: State’s positive cases top 14,000 – Tennessean
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State reports 14,096 cases Thursday
The Tennessee Department of Health announced Thursday that statewide COVID-19 cases reached at least 14,096, which was an increase of 158 cases since Wednesday.
Of those infected, 237 have died, according to the department. That’s a decrease from the 239 deaths reported Wednesday; the Department of Health did not immediately provide an explanation for the reduced death count.
The department reported that 1,266 people have been hospitalized because of the virus, and 6,783 people have recovered.
Statewide, 236,328 people have been tested for the coronavirus.
580 of 586 inmates recovered from COVID-19 at Bledsoe County prison
On Thursday, the Tennessee Department of Correction said 580 of 586 inmates that tested positive for COVID-19 have recovered at the Bledsoe County Correctional Complex in Pikeville.
They tested positive on April 18. After completing a 14-day quarantine, they show no symptoms, TDOC said in a news release.
Six positive cases remain at the state prison, including two inmates hospitalized and four that are asymptomatic in isolation.
TDOC did mass testing in mid-April. More than 2,000 inmates at Bledsoe were tested for the virus, and about 25% were positive. A TDOC spokesperson said the vast majority of inmates — 98% — who initially tested positive weren’t exhibiting symptoms.
Lake campgrounds in Middle Tennessee closed through May 31
Closures have been extended to at least May 31 for campgrounds at Cheatham Lake, Percy Priest Lake, Old Hickory Lake, Cordell Hull Lake, Center Hill Lake and Dale Hollow Lake, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District announced Thursday.
Those are among 25 campgrounds managed by the Corps of Engineers within the Cumberland River Basin in Kentucky and Tennessee. Lake Barkley and Lake Cumberland are among the closed sites in Kentucky.
No date to reopen has been determined. All campground reservations will be canceled for May. Individuals with reservations canceled due to the closure will have an opportunity to reschedule them for a later date.
The deadline to alter reservations is May 15. After that, all reservations will be automatically canceled with full refunds.
Nashville to begin reopening on Monday
Nashville city officials plan to transition to the first phase of reopening the city on Monday, allowing restaurants and retail stores to open at half capacity, despite a recent increase in new coronavirus cases.
Dr. Alex Jahangir, chairman of the city’s coronavirus task force, said Thursday morning the rise in new cases of the virus is at least partially caused by increased testing in the city.
“Our trending cases averages around 100, OK, but it has been relatively flat,” Jahangir said. “Yes, it is heading slightly upwards, but testing has also gone up a fair amount, and there is some correlation. And that’s not the only metric we are looking at.”
“The goal is to get us gently back to work while managing with the disease,” Nashville Mayor John Cooper said during the city’s daily COVID-19 news briefing. “There will be difficult choices ahead.”
Nashville COVID-19 cases now at 3,432
Nashville Mayor John Cooper’s office on Thursday announced 3,342 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Nashville/Davidson County, an increase of 86 in the past 24 hours.
The confirmed cases range in age from 2 months to 99 years.
Two additional deaths were reported in Davidson County – a 75 -year-old woman and a 74-year-old man, both of whom had underlying health conditions.
A total of 35 people have died after a confirmed case of COVID-19, 1,756 individuals have recovered from the virus and 1,641 cases are active.
Homeless could be turned away during quarantine at shelter
Nearly one-fourth of the homeless men at the Nashville Rescue Mission tested positive for COVID-19 and were transferred to an isolated facility at the fairgrounds.
But a seven-day quarantine, mandated by Metro Public Health Department, began Monday for the 296 occupants that tested negative and remain at the Rescue Mission. If they leave, except for work, they cannot immediately return. And no new occupants will be admitted during the quarantine.
It could set up some difficult decisions for Rescue Mission staff members, who will have to turn away homeless people seeking shelter over the next week.
Metro Health spokesman Brian Todd said individuals who tested negative are “contacts of confirmed cases” because they shared space with occupants who tested positive.
Governor extends electronic open meetings order
Gov. Bill Lee on Wednesday extended Executive Order 16, which allows governing bodies to hold online meetings during the pandemic.
The order now continues until June 30, allowing local boards, commissions, councils and other bodies to conduct their meetings virtually, so long as they provide electronic access to the public.
Bowling alleys, dentists to reopen this week
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee on Tuesday also announced that dentists can resume non-emergency procedures, such as cleanings, on Wednesday.
That’s the same day Lee had already declared salons, nail spas, massage and other close-contact businesses can resume operations in 89 of the state’s 95 counties.
More: Guidelines released for reopening Tennessee bowling alleys, mini golf, arcades
On Friday, Lee announced at his Tuesday briefing, small group recreational businesses such as bowling alleys and mini golf courses can also open their doors again.
Restaurants, retail stores and gyms across the state, with the exception of Tennessee’s largest counties, were given the green light to resume operations last week at 50% capacity.
Areas like Nashville, Memphis and Knoxville are in counties that have been instructed to determine their own timeline for reopening businesses.
Reach Adam Sparks at asparks@tennessean.com and on Twitter @AdamSparks.
Published 8:36 PM EDT May 7, 2020
