Coronavirus in Tennessee: State reports 1,764 new cases, 3 new deaths on Sunday

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Monday, Sept. 7

Nashville COVID-19 testing sites closed for Labor Day 

All three of the city of Nashville's COVID-19 drive-thru testing sites are closed for the Labor Day holiday on Monday. They will reopen at 7 a.m. Tuesday.

The sites are open from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekdays and are located at: 

• Nissan Stadium Lot "N," 1 Titans Way, Nashville, TN 37213
• Meharry Medical College, 918 21st Ave. N., Nashville, TN 37208
• Former Kmart, 2491 Murfreesboro Pike, Nashville, TN 37217

COVID-19 testing:Where to get tested for coronavirus in Nashville, and what to expect afterward

Sunday, Sept. 6

Lower Broadway to close Sunday night

Nashville Mayor John Cooper announced Sunday that the city will close Lower Broadway from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. to help promote social distancing.

The mayor made the announcement on Twitter. The street will be closed between 4th and 5th avenues. Metro police will be on hand to direct traffic around the closures.

Tennessee reports more than 1,700 new cases

Tennessee reported 1,764 new coronavirus infections – but only 20 new hospitalizations and just three deaths – as the viral outbreak grew slightly on Sunday.

The state’s daily positivity rate was 9.4%. The weekly average rate is also 9.4% after falling as low as 6.3% about a week ago.

Tennessee has 16,902 known active infections. Health officials revised the state's threshold for recovering from the virus last week, erasing more than half of the state’s active infections overnight.

The statewide death toll is now 1,865.

Nashville reports 118 infections, two deaths

The Nashville coronavirus outbreak continued weeks of flattening on Sunday as city officials reported a small number of new infections.

Nashville gained 118 infections on about 3,000 of newly-reported tests, bringing the citywide total for active infections to 924. Nashville’s average positivity rate over the past week is 5.9%, according to city officials.

The city says 109 people were hospitalized with the virus as of Saturday, which is the fewest since these statistics became public in late June.

Two deaths were reported on Sunday – a 64-year-old man and a 75-year-old man – bringing the citywide death toll to 243.

Saturday, Sept. 5 

Tennessee reports 1,765 new cases, 25 new deaths

The Tennessee Department of Health reported 1,765 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday. 

That included 25 new deaths because of the virus. The virus had caused 1,862 deaths statewide. Currently, there are 865 hospitalizations, which is 19 less since Friday.

There have been 144,383 recoveries statewide. 

At least 2,306,032 tests have been taken statewide for the virus. 

Nashville reports 73 new cases, one new death

The Nashville Metro Public Health Department announced an increase of 35 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours on Saturday, bringing the number of total cases since March to 26,314.

One additional confirmed death has been reported in the past 24 hours, a 94-year-old man with underlying health conditions. A total 230 residents in Davidson County have died after a confirmed case of COVID-19. Including both confirmed and probable cases, 241 deaths have been attributed to COVID-19.

In all, 25,147 individuals have recovered from the virus.

Available Middle Tennessee hospital beds stood at 16%, and ICU beds stood at 10%.

Friday, Sept. 4

36 Rutherford County students test COVID-19 positive

Of the 27,000 in-person learners attending Rutherford County Schools, "only 36 actually tested positive" for COVID-19, Director Bill Spurlock said Thursday.

Tennessee reports 1,051 new cases and 22 new deaths 

The Tennessee Department of Health reported 1,051 new coronavirus cases Friday, bringing the state's total to 160,597 cases. There are currently 15,604 active cases in Tennessee. 

The state reported 22 new deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 1,837.

The state reports that 865 people are currently hospitalized in Tennessee because of the virus. As many as 143,156 Tennesseans have recovered or no longer have an active case, and 1,588 new recoveries were reported Friday.

At least 2.27 million coronavirus tests have been performed statewide. 

Nashville reports 44 new cases, no new deaths

The Nashville Metro Public Health Department announced an increase of 44 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours on Friday, bringing the number of cases to 26,279.

No additional confirmed deaths have been reported in the past 24 hours.

So far, 229 people in Davidson County have died after a confirmed case of COVID-19. Including both confirmed and probable cases, 240 deaths have been attributed to COVID-19.

In all, 24,809 individuals have recovered from the virus and 1,230 people have an active case. 

Available Middle Tennessee hospital beds stood at 15%, and ICU beds stood at 11%.

Thursday, Sept. 3

Tennessee preparing for coronavirus vaccine in November

Federal officials recently told Tennessee leaders to prepare to distribute a coronavirus vaccine as early as Nov. 1, starting by inoculating medical professionals who are most exposed to the virus.

The potential for a November vaccine — months earlier than expected — both raises hope for a new defense against the pandemic and exacerbates concerns the Trump Administration may truncate research to deliver a vaccine before Election Day. An administration official denied any political pressure on vaccine research on Thursday.

Murfreesboro students can return in person Sept. 28

Murfreesboro City Schools will resume in-person classes for all students Sept. 28.

The new plan, announced Thursday, puts all students in the classroom, but allows students to opt out of the in-person classes as the school moves away from its current hybrid model.

TN to start reporting number of COVID-19 cases in schools

After flip-flopping for more than a month on whether releasing such data violates federal privacy laws, Gov. Bill Lee and the state of Tennessee are finally publicly reporting confirmed COVID-19 cases linked to schools.

The Tennessee Department of Education will launch a new dashboard on Tuesday that will include the total number of active cases among students and staff broken down by school across the state. 

The department will update the dashboard every Monday with the previous week's number of new cases and will include classroom or school closures and whether students are learning in-person, remotely or a hybrid of both for each district.

Cooper may authorize city employees to issue COVID-19 citations

Nashville city officials are bracing for the likelihood they will see more violations of Metro's public health orders, particularly as they look to expand what residents and businesses are allowed to do during the coronavirus pandemic.

But the city is running out of people to enforce those rules. So Mayor John Cooper wants the ability to deputize additional city workers to help. 

The burden of the city's mask mandate and other orders has stretched the capacity of the Metro Health Department, already tasked with testing, contact tracing and enforcing existing health regulations.

Tennessee reports 1,715 new cases; changes 'recovered' criteria 

The Tennessee Department of Health reported 1,715 new coronavirus cases Thursday, bringing the state's total to 159,546 cases. 

There are currently 16,163 active cases in Tennessee. Tennessee’s tally of active infections dropped significantly on Thursday as state health officials redefined how they identify people who have “recovered” from the virus.

The state reported 18 new deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 1,815. At least 897 COVID-19 patients are currently hospitalized in Tennessee. 

As many as 141,568 Tennesseans have recovered.

Previously, the state reclassified a coronavirus patient from active to recovered based on contact tracing conducted at the county level. If contact tracers aren't able to reach a patient, that person is automatically reclassified as recovered after 21 days, unless the patient dies. 

The state reduced this threshold from 21 days to 14 days based on growing evidence that infections don’t last as long as originally suspected. State officials also began using the label “recovered/inactive” to more accurately describe people whose coronavirus infections have run their course.

At least 2.26 million coronavirus tests have been performed statewide. 

TDOC: 1,197 active cases in prisons, 14 deaths

According to the Tennessee Department of Correction, there are currently 1,197 active cases in state prisons. In total, 14 people incarcerated in state facilities have died.

Two new deaths were reported Thursday and both occurred at South Central Correctional Facility, the site of the largest current outbreak in a Tennessee prison. The men both died in a hospital and had underlying health conditions. They were 58 and 60 years old. 

The following prisons have active cases and deaths as of Thursday:

• South Central Correctional Facility - 1,144 cases; three deaths
• Women's Therapeutic Residential Center - 28 cases; no deaths
• Northeast Correctional Complex - seven cases; no deaths
• Hardeman County Correctional Facility - six cases; no deaths 
• Lois M. DeBerry Special Needs Facility - four cases; four deaths
• Bledsoe County Correctional Complex - three cases; one deaths
• Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center- three cases; one death 
• Riverbend Maximum Security Institution - two cases; no deaths
• Trousdale Turner Correctional Center - zero cases; three deaths
• Whiteville Correctional Facility - zero cases; two deaths 

Nashville reports 73 new cases, one new death

The Nashville Metro Public Health Department announced an increase of 73 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours on Thursday, bringing the number of cases to 26,235.

An additional confirmed death has been reported in the past 24 hours, a 61-year-old woman with a pending medical history.

So far, 229 people in Davidson County have died after a confirmed case of COVID-19. Including both confirmed and probable cases, 240 deaths have been attributed to COVID-19.

In all, 24,730 individuals have recovered from the virus and 1,265 people have an active case. 

Available Middle Tennessee hospital beds stood at 15%, and ICU beds stood at 13%.

Wilson County temporarily moves test location

COVID-19 testing will move to the Wilson County Health Department drive-thru at 9-11 a.m., Thursday and Friday.

The Wilson County Fairgrounds is the regular site for testing in the county. A special event at the fairgrounds necessitated the temporary change.

Testing will move back to the Wilson County Fairgrounds on Tuesday, Sept. 8, with a new time that will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., each day.

Testing is free.

Wednesday, Sept. 2

Lee to announce plan for reporting COVID-19 cases in schools

Gov. Bill Lee will announce a final plan for reporting COVID-19 cases among schools on Thursday, state Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn said Wednesday. 

After switching back and forth three times on the state's policy on the matter, Lee said on Aug. 20 he would reach out and work with federal officials, including those at the Department of Education, to see what information can be shared. 

Next round of $300 federal unemployment benefits depends on FEMA

Starting last week, unemployed Tennesseans eligible for a federal Lost Wages Assistance program began to see extra deposits in their accounts — $300 per week for up to the first three weeks of August. 

Now, dozens of unemployed people are flooding online forums with questions: Will the federal grant benefits last longer than three weeks? And if so, when will they see the money in their accounts?

The answers depend on the approval and processing times of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, according to the Tennessee department of labor.

$2M in aid coming to Nashville music venues

Nashville's Metro Council approved $2 million in CARES Act funding this week for music venues fighting for life during the ongoing global health crisis. 

Independent venues — considered to be the heartbeat of Music City's most celebrated export — shuttered in March due to COVID-19 precautions, halting virtually all live events. Pandemic restrictions financially pummeled venues this year, as many remain closed and others operate at minimal capacity. 

Tennessee reports 1,502 new cases, 16 new deaths 

The Tennessee Department of Health reported 1,502 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, bringing the state's total to 157,831 cases. There are currently 35,359 active cases in Tennessee.

The state reported 16 new deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 1,797. 

At least 7,061 people have been hospitalized in Tennessee, an increase of 83 in the past 24 hours. As many as 120,675 Tennesseans have recovered, including 1,790 new recoveries reported by the state on Wednesday.

At least 2.23 million coronavirus tests have been performed statewide. 

Nashville reports 143 new cases, no new deaths

The Nashville Metro Public Health Department announced an increase of 143 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours on Wednesday, bringing the number of cases to 26,162.

No additional confirmed deaths have been reported in the past 24 hours.

So far, 228 people in Davidson County have died after a confirmed case of COVID-19. Including both confirmed and probable cases, 239 deaths have been attributed to COVID-19.

In all, 24,577 individuals have recovered from the virus and 1,346 people have an active case. 

Available Middle Tennessee hospital beds stood at 16%, and ICU beds stood at 10%.

Wilson County extends mask requirement

Wilson County is extending its requirement for masks to be worn in public in line with the governor’s extension that allows counties to make the decision through Sept. 30, according to the mayor’s office.

There were at least 2,870 confirmed and probable cases according to Tennessee Department of Health data on Wednesday morning, 2,124 who had recovered, 715 active cases and 31 deaths.

Tuesday, Sept. 1

10 residents at Tennessee Veterans Home died from COVID-19 in August

The Tennessee State Veterans' Home in Murfreesboro had 10 coronavirus resident deaths by Friday after starting August with zero, state records show.

The Tennessee Department of Health also reported that the veterans' home served 98 residents at the time COVID-19 issues were identified and had 46 cases after starting out with 10 reported on an early August report.

Ryman Auditorium reopens for live concerts

On Friday, Nashville's most celebrated music venue will host a live audience for the first time in nearly six months.

The Ryman Auditorium has announced that the rest of its "Live at the Ryman" streaming concert series will welcome a small, in-person audience, starting with Friday's Scotty McCreery concert. It plans to continue through the final two shows of the series: Brett Young on September 11 and Old Crow Medicine Show on September 18.

The audience will be limited to 125 ticketed guests —roughly 5 percent of the venue's capacity. Groups of 2 to 6 will be placed in physically distanced sections throughout the building. Masks will be mandatory for all guests and staff. All food and beverage stations will be closed, but the Ryman will offer complimentary bottled water. 

Nashville loosens restrictions on gatherings

Nashville residents and business that want to host concerts, political fundraisers, sporting events or other private gatherings can potentially have up to 125 people in attendance if they get approval from city officials, according to a new public health order taking effect Tuesday.

The new order is a significant loosening of prior coronavirus restrictions, which capped all gatherings at 25 people. Hosts can now get an exception to that cap if they agree to a list of rules, including a 10:30 p.m. curfew, and file a written event plan with the Metro Public Health Department in advance, the order states.

TDOC: 1,206 active cases in prisons, 12 deaths

According to the Tennessee Department of Correction, there are currently 1,206 active cases in state prisons. In total, 12 people incarcerated in state facilities have died. Three new deaths were reported Tuesday. 

The following prisons have active cases and deaths as of Tuesday:

• South Central Correctional Facility - 1,144 cases; one death
• Women's Therapeutic Residential Center - 28 cases; no deaths
• Bledsoe County Correctional Complex - seven cases; one deaths
• Northeast Correctional Complex - seven cases; no deaths
• Lois M. DeBerry Special Needs Facility - six cases; four deaths
• Hardeman County Correctional Facility - six cases
• Riverbend Maximum Security Institution - five cases
• Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center- three cases; one death 
• Trousdale Turner Correctional Center - zero cases; three deaths
• Whiteville Correctional Facility - zero cases; two deaths 

Tennessee reports 1,396 new cases, 27 new deaths 

The Tennessee Department of Health reported 1,396 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, bringing the state's total to 156,329 cases. There are currently 35,663 active cases in Tennessee.

The state reported 27 new deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 1,781. 

At least 6,978 people have been hospitalized in Tennessee, an increase of 100 in the past 24 hours. As many as 118,885 Tennesseans have recovered, including 2,021 new recoveries reported by the state on Tuesday.

At least 2.21 million coronavirus tests have been performed statewide. 

Nashville reports 44 new cases, two new deaths

The Nashville Metro Public Health Department announced an increase of 44 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours on Tuesday, bringing the number of cases to 26,019.

Two additional confirmed deaths have been reported in the past 24 hours, a 78-year-old man and a 51-year-old woman, both with underlying health conditions.

So far, 228 people in Davidson County have died after a confirmed case of COVID-19. Including both confirmed and probable cases, 239 deaths have been attributed to COVID-19.

In all, 24,400 individuals have recovered from the virus and 1,380 people have an active case. 

Available Middle Tennessee hospital beds stood at 16%, and ICU beds stood at 14%.

Nashville loosens restrictions on gatherings

Nashville residents and business that want to host concerts, political fundraisers, sporting events or other private gatherings can potentially have up to 125 people in attendance if they get their plans approved by city officials, according to a new public health order taking effect Tuesday.

The new order is a significant loosening of prior coronavirus restrictions, which capped all gatherings at 25 people. Hosts can now get an exception to that cap if they follow a list of rules, including a 10:30 p.m. curfew, and file a written event plan with the Metro Public Health Department, the order states.

Monday, Aug. 31

First day of school amid pandemic for Clarksville-Montgomery Co. students

Clarksville-Montgomery County students headed back to school on a rainy Monday morning for the first time since mid-March, when classes were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. School officials have said around 60% of the student population chose traditional school this fall, and the remaining 40% picked the school system's virtual school option.

Traditional students and staff were asked to wear masks, social distance and follow guidelines put in place to reduce the spread of the virus.

CMCSS Chief Communications Officer Anthony Johnson said between the weather and those pandemic precautions, this first day back was even more challenging than usual.

974 coronavirus cases reported in state prison

The Tennessee Department of Health announced Monday that 974 new coronavirus cases were discovered in a state prison.

The cases were found among people incarcerated at South Central Correctional Facility in Clifton, a private prison managed by CoreCivic. 

The Tennessee Department of Correction said the cases were discovered during a second round of mass testing at the facility. The prison tested 1,410 inmates for the virus on Thursday and Friday. Of those, 168 test results are pending.

According to information from TDOC, as of Monday, the following prisons have active cases:

• South Central Correctional Facility - 974 cases
• Women's Therapeutic Residential Center in Nashville - 28 cases
• Bledsoe County Correctional Complex - 10 cases
• Lois M. DeBerry Special Needs Facility in Nashville - seven cases
• Hardeman County Correctional Facility in Whiteville - six cases 
• Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville - five cases
• Northeast Correctional Complex in Mountain City - five cases
• Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center in Nashville - three cases 

Nine people incarcerated in state prisons have died after being diagnosed with the coronavirus. 

Davidson County jail inmate dies after contracting COVID-19

A female Davidson County inmate has died as a result of COVID-19, the Davidson County Sheriff's Office reported Monday.

The 64-year-old woman, who had been hospitalized at Nashville General Hospital since Aug. 18, died Saturday after contracting the virus, said Karla West, a spokesperson for the sheriff's office.

The sheriff's office did not identify the woman, but West said the inmate was the first to die in custody as a result of contracting COVID-19.

Nashville reports 30 new cases, no new deaths

The Nashville Metro Public Health Department announced an increase of 30 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours on Monday, bringing the number of cases to 25,975.

No additional confirmed deaths have been reported in the past 24 hours.

So far, 226 people in Davidson County have died after a confirmed case of COVID-19. Including both confirmed and probable cases, 237 deaths have been attributed to COVID-19.

In all, 24,338 individuals have recovered from the virus and 1,400 people have an active case. 

Available Middle Tennessee hospital beds stood at 17%, and ICU beds stood at 13%.

Sunday, Aug. 30 

Rutherford mask mandate extended through September

Rutherford County's mask mandate will continue through the end of September.

County Mayor Bill Ketron on Saturday extended his order requiring masks or other face coverings to help curb the spread of COVID-19, according to a news release.

The previous order was set to expire at midnight Saturday. The new order expires at midnight Sept. 30.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has so far declined to require masks in public settings statewide — despite evidence of their effectiveness in slowing the pandemic that has killed more than 180,000 people in the U.S. so far — but instead granted authority to county mayors to make the decisions locally.

Tennessee reports 835 new cases, 22 new deaths 

The Tennessee Department of Health reported 835 new coronavirus cases Sunday, bringing the state's total to 153,115 cases. There are currently 36,599 active cases in Tennessee.

The state reported 22 new deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 1,747. 

At least 6,840 people have been hospitalized in Tennessee, an increase of 23 in the past 24 hours. As many as 114,769 Tennesseans have recovered, including 670 new recoveries reported by the state on Sunday.

At least 2.18 million coronavirus tests have been performed statewide, as of Sunday.

Nashville reports 85 new cases, one new death

The Nashville Metro Public Health Department announced an increase of 85 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours on Sunday, bringing the number of cases to 25,945.

One new probable coronavirus-related fatality was reported in the past 24 hours, a 77-year-old woman with a pending medical history. The total COVID-19 death toll in Nashville is now 237.

In all, 23,980 individuals have recovered from the virus, and 1,728 people have an active case. 

Available Middle Tennessee hospital beds stood at 16%, and ICU beds stood at 13%.

The MPHD COVID-19 Hotline received two calls on Saturday.

Saturday, Aug. 29 

Montgomery County order extends mask mandate to Sept. 7

Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett has extended the countywide mandate requiring masks to be worn publicly, to Sept. 7.

Executive Order 17 announced through a news release from the courthouse Friday afternoon stipulates that all residents, business personnel and visitors in Montgomery County must continue to wear face coverings to slow the spread of coronavirus beyond a previous order expiration date of Aug. 31, to the latest end date of Sept 7.

Depending on progress in ending the pandemic, that end date could again be further extended.

Tennessee reports 1,465 new cases, 24 new deaths

The Tennessee Department of Health reported 1,465 new coronavirus cases Saturday, bringing the state's total to 152,280 cases. There are currently 36,456 active cases in Tennessee.

The state reported 24 new deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 1,725. 

At least 6,817 people have been hospitalized in Tennessee, an increase of 66 in the past 24 hours. As many as 114,099 Tennesseans have recovered, including 786 new recoveries reported by the state on Saturday.

At least 2.17 million coronavirus tests have been performed statewide.

Nashville reports 145 new cases, one new death 

Nashville's Metro Public Health Department officials announced Saturday an increase of 145 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the number of confirmed current cases to 25,860.

An additional confirmed death One new coronavirus-related fatality has been reported in the past 24 hours, an 82-year-old man with underlying health conditions.

In all, 23,726 individuals have recovered from the virus, and 1,898 people have an active case. 

Available Middle Tennessee hospital beds stood at 1514% on Thursday, and ICU beds stood at 1415%.

The MPHD COVID-19 Hotline received 40 calls on Friday.