The Hamilton County Health Department reported 948 new positive cases on Wednesday, up from 505 on Tuesday. This is by far the highest number of new cases since the pandemic began. The second highest number of new cases in one day was 655 on Jan. 8, 2021.
The total number of cases in the county now stands at 70,070.
The Hamilton County Health Department reported five more coronavirus deaths on Wednesday. The death total is 779.
It is reported the deaths were three men and two women; three white, one black and one race not determined; and one age 41-50, one age 51-60, one age 61-70, one age 71-80 and one age 81 or older.
The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations is 124 in Hamilton County, up from 121 on Tuesday.
Ten more are hospitalized with suspected COVID. There are 72 Hamilton County inpatients and 29 patients are in ICU, down from 30 on Tuesday.
The number of those who have recovered from coronavirus in Hamilton County is 66,265, which is 95 percent. There are 3,026 active cases, up from 2,188 on Tuesday.
Officials said, "As the New Year’s weekend approaches, please take the time to review the CDC’s recommendations for safely celebrating the holiday. These include limiting indoor gatherings, avoiding crowds, and wearing a well-fitting mask over your nose and mouth if you are in public, indoor settings. Please get tested if you have been exposed to someone who has tested positive or if you have any symptoms of COVID-19. To view testing availability, please visit our website at testing.hamiltontn.gov. You can also call our hotline at 423-209-8383 to receive assistance locating other tests near you.
"The most important thing you can do to protect yourself, your loved ones and your community is to get vaccinated if you have not already done so. If you have received your primary series, please get your booster when you are eligible. You can view all vaccine eligibility requirements on the CDC’s website.
"The Health Department continues to administer COVID-19 vaccines at our Tennessee Riverpark vaccination site, Birchwood & Sequoyah Health Clinics, and pediatric vaccines at our East 3rd St Facility. Please visit our online vaccine calendar at vaccine.hamiltontn.gov for more details."
Additional resources
· Call the Health Department’s COVID-19 at 423-209-8383 if you have questions about vaccinations, locating testing, or if you seek isolation or quarantine guidance.
· Vaccines are widely available in the community through a number of providers. Please visit vaccines.gov to find a vaccination site near you.
· To read this information in Spanish, visit the Health Department’s Spanish Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SaludHamiltonTN.
Tennessee reported 10,193 new cases on Wednesday, for a total of 1,398,794 coronavirus cases.
There were 38 more deaths in Tennessee reported on Wednesday, for a total of 20,776.
The state currently has 1,395 people hospitalized from the virus, 96 more than the day before.
The number of coronavirus tests that have been administered in the state is 11.164 million.
There have been 1,327,954 Tennesseans that have recovered from the virus, which is 95 percent.
Here are the numbers by county:
Bledsoe County: 3,643 cases, up 6; 37 deaths
Bradley County: 23,552 cases, up 60; 319 deaths, up 1
Grundy County: 3,023 cases, up 5; 64 deaths
Marion County: 6,086 cases, up 16; 110 deaths
McMinn County: 11,138 cases, up 16; 196 deaths
Meigs County: 2,344 cases, up 1; 46 deaths
Polk County: 3,365 cases, up 1; 50 deaths
Rhea County: 7,377 cases, up 4; 128 deaths
Sequatchie County: 3,188 cases, up 5; 59 deaths
Knox County: 84,850 cases, up 352; 1,064 deaths, up 1
Davidson County: 134,277 cases, up 1,579; 1,382 deaths, up 5
Shelby County: 162,589 cases, up 2,090; 2,705 deaths, up 7