Hamilton County, for the second day in a row, has recorded 21 new coronavirus cases - bringing the total to 234. The county still has 13 deaths.
However, officials said seven coronavirus patients are now hospitalized, and five of those are in Intensive Care.
Of the 21 new positive cases, none of those required hospitalization, it was stated.
Health Department Administrator Becky Barnes said at an afternoon press conference, "I would like to clarify that we do not attribute our increase in cases to our starting to reopen to the community. The common epi-links have been to critical infrastructure workers who have been working the entire time we have been shut down. Construction, manufacturing, food industry workers, daycare workers, landscapers are some examples but not all.”
Ms. Barnes responded to a question about an employee who was not allowed to wear PPE at temperature check stations at the health department.
“We have always complied with CDC guidelines. We did receive the complaint and we responded to the complaint to TOSHA, and TOSHA was satisfied,” said Ms. Barnes, who also said the CDC policy has also changed recently. “We are making the shift now toward having patients come back into our building. At the time of the complaint, it was mostly employees.”
Ms. Barnes said that spread can be seen in families that live in multi-family or multi-generational homes. She reiterated now-familiar advice when telling county residents how to minimize their chances of getting the virus.
“Family members can easily spread it to other members,” said Ms. Barnes. “To avoid transmission with family members, limit contact with other family members, wash hands frequently, clean common spaces with a EPA approved disinfectant, and avoid eating with someone who is sick.”
In addition to this, she also asked residents to wear a facemask and to observe social distancing guidelines.
County Mayor Jim Coppinger then took the podium and thanked various medical personnel and those who are helping with contact trace.
“As Becky said, the cases that have been diagnosed in the last couple of days have been beyond what we normally experience,” said the mayor. “But it has no connection to us reopening. We are taking baby steps to bring back normalcy back to our community.”
“Just because you don’t have any symptoms and you’re feeling well and you don’t need to go out, there no reason to be going out and expose yourself unnecessarily,” he said.
Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke, in his Facebook Live on Thursday, referenced the rising numbers of COVID cases in the Hamilton County. He said, “If someone tests positive, they ask about everyone they’ve been dealing with over the last few days, and then contact those individuals about what’s going on, and make sure they’re quarantining themselves.”
The mayor also asked Chattanooga residents to social distance, wear a mask, and wash hands frequently. He asked viewers to stay home unless they needed to go somewhere for an essential action.
“Yesterday was the first day barbershops and nail salons and close-contact businesses were open. We are watching that as they reopen,” said mayor Berke. “If you go, make sure you are going to the places that have the best health practices both for you and the people you live with.”
When one business owner asked about difficulty receiving or obtaining PPE, mayor Berke said she can contact the city, and they will try to assist her business.
“It doesn’t do any good to tell businesses they can reopen if nobody feels comfortable going there,” said the mayor.
Another person asked about their former employees having difficulty filing for and receiving unemployment benefits. Mayor Berke said that the unemployment system is not set up to handle the number of claims it is receiving, and there is nothing he or his office can do. However, he said there are resources businesses and people can use to receive help in other ways.
Nashville Metro Public Health Department officials announced a total number of 3,432 confirmed cases of coronavirus - an increase of 86 in the past 24 hours.
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 at Nashville after a confirmed case of COVID-19.
Tennessee coronavirus deaths are now listed at 237, according to the state health department. The figure given the day before was 239.
Cases went to 14,096 - up from 13,938 on Wednesday.
Officials said 1,266 people have been hospitalized in the state from coronavirus - up 45 since Wednesday.
Bledsoe County has 602 cases. There have been no deaths in the county from the virus. Almost all the cases are from the correctional facility at Pikeville.
Bradley County is up to 64 cases with one death.
Rhea County has six cases and no deaths.
Marion County is at 29 cases. It has recorded one death.
Sequatchie County now has seven cases. Grundy County is at 30 cases with one death. Meigs County is up to 17 cases. Franklin County has 37 cases with one death.
McMinn County is now at 108 cases. Life Care Center of Athens has had an outbreak of the coronavirus with four patients dying.
Monroe County is at 26 and it has one coronavirus death. Polk County is at 12 cases.
Sumner County (Gallatin) is up to 672 cases and has 38 deaths.
Shelby County has increased to 3,066 from 2,901 cases and deaths remain at 64.
There are now 434 cases in Williamson County and has 10 coronavirus deaths.
Knox County, with five deaths, is at 253 cases.