Friday, May 15 coronavirus in Tennessee updates: Cases reach 16,970 statewide, 4th prisoner dies
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Gov. Lee to lift capacity restrictions on most restaurants
Restaurants and retail stores throughout the majority of Tennessee will no longer need to limit capacity starting late next week.
In addition, large attractions, including racetracks, amusement parks, waterparks, theaters, museums and auditoriums, will be allowed to reopen starting May 22, provided they practice appropriate social distancing to combat the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Such changes will be allowed in 89 of Tennessee's 95 counties, with the remainder — Davidson, Shelby, Knox, Hamilton, Madison and Sullivan — following their own reopening plans.
Fourth state inmate dies
A fourth person incarcerated at a Tennessee state prison has died after being diagnosed with COVID-19, a Tennessee Department of Correction spokeswoman said.
The man, incarcerated at Trousdale Turner Correctional Facility in Hartsville, was 71 years old and had an underlying medical condition. He was hospitalized on April 29 where he remained until his death Thursday night.
He is the third inmate at Trousdale Turner to die after being diagnosed with COVID-19. The state isn't releasing the names of those who've died or identifying details. The other two men who have died at the Hartsville prison were in their 60s.
A 78-year-old man also died at Bledsoe County Correctional Complex in Pikeville.
Thursday death marks the fourth presumed COVID-19 death of Tennessee prison inmates amid the ongoing outbreak of the virus that has raced through the prison system, sickening hundreds and pushing some of the state's prisons to the top coronavirus hotspots in the nation. Autopsies for the four who have died are pending.
As of Friday, TDOC says it has tested 21,045 inmates at state prisons. Results for 144 tests are pending, and 1,883 prisoners have recovered.
Here is the breakdown of state prisons that have current COVID-19 cases as of Friday:
- Trousdale Turner Correctional Facility in Hartsville - 1,073
- Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville - 335
- Hardeman County Correctional Facility in Whiteville - 152
- Mark Luttrell Transition Center in Memphis - 53
- Lois M. Derry Special Needs Facility in Nashville - 13
- Women's Therapeutic Residential Center in Henning - 10
- Northeast Correctional Complex in Mountain City - 10
- Tennessee Prison for Women in Nashville - 6
- Whiteville Correctional Facility - 6
- Morgan County Correctional Complex in Wartburg - 5
- West Tennessee State Penitentiary in Henning - 4
- Turney Center Industrial Complex in Only - 4
- Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville - 3
- Bledsoe County Correctional Complex in Pikeville - 2
Cases reach 16,970 statewide
The Tennessee Department of Health announced Friday that coronavirus cases across the state had reached at least 16,970, an increase of 271 cases since Thursday.
Of those infected, 290 have died, the department said, marking three new deaths in 24 hours.
The department reported that 1,454 people have been hospitalized because of the virus, and 9,280 people have recovered. Over the last day, 399 Tennesseans have recovered.
In total, 309,756 people have been tested for the coronavirus statewide.
TSU to start classes in fall
Tennessee State University is planning to resume in-person classes this fall, but with additional safety protocols.
The new standards include ongoing cleaning of campus facilities, the use of larger classrooms and hybrid in-person and online course presentations and the implementation of appropriate social distancing standards, the university president said in a news release.
The university has refunded students for housing and meals and have distributed additional funds as emergency financial aid grants.
Graduate students will receive a one-time grant of $500. Undergraduate students who are not PELL Grant eligible will receive $600, and undergraduate students who are PELL eligible will receive $800, the release says.
State parks close pools for summer
Tennessee State Parks are closing public swimming pools at state parks for the 2020 summer season.
The decision was made to keep these facilities closed in the interest of public health and staff safety. COVID-19 presents unique challenges for managing pools, state officials said.
"Pools are confined spaces not conducive to social distancing. The very nature of lifeguarding requires close contact with pool users and creates potential for unnecessary risk in life saving situations.," officials said. "We apologize for this inconvenience and look forward to the next opportunity we have to reopen pool facilities for your enjoyment.”
Nashville/Davidson County cases now at 4,008
Metro Public Health Department officials announced Friday 4,008 confirmed cases of coronavirus disease in Nashville/Davidson County, an increase of 119 in the past 24 hours.
The confirmed cases range in age from 1 month to 99 years.
An additional death in Davidson County was reported in the past 24 hours – a 75-year-old woman. At this time, it is unknown if she had underlying health conditions.
So far 43 people have died after a confirmed case of COVID-19 and 2,734 individuals have recovered from the virus.
Cases hit 16,699 statewide
The Tennessee Department of Health announced Thursday that coronavirus cases across the state had reached at least 16,699, an increase of 329 cases since Wednesday.
Of those infected, 287 have died, the department said, marking 14 new deaths in 24 hours.
The department reported that 1,435 people have been hospitalized because of the virus, and 8,881 people have recovered. Over the last day, 257 Tennesseans have recovered.
In total, 302,317 people have been tested for the coronavirus statewide.
Joel Ebert contributed.