NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – The Tennessee Department of Health has confirmed additional cases and deaths related to COVID-19 across the state on Friday, November 13.
The department reported 3,733 new cases, which puts Tennessee’s total case count now over 300,000. Friday’s update puts the state at 300,458 total cases, a 1.3% day-to-day increase since Thursday. Of the total cases, 280,117 are confirmed and 20,341 are probable. There are currently 31,147 active cases.
Tennessee’s seven-day new cases average increased to 3,902 additional cases per day, while the 14-day new cases average increased to 2,926.
Friday’s update is the third highest single-day increase reported by the health department. Tennessee’s five highest single-day increases have been in the month of November.
- 1. Nov. 9: 5,919 news cases
- 2. Nov. 7: 5,071 news cases
- 3. Nov. 13: 3,733 news cases
- 4. Nov. 8: 3,636 news cases
- 5. Nov. 11: 3,632 news cases
Of the 300,458 cases, 156,641 are female (52%), 141,491 are male (47%), and 2,326 are pending (1%).
TDH also confirmed 64 additional deaths, bringing total deaths to 3,852 statewide. Friday’s update makes this the deadliest week for the state since the beginning of the pandemic with 262 deaths reported since Sunday. This replaces the record of 253 set only two weeks ago.
Out of the total positive cases, 265,459 are listed as inactive/recovered, an increase of 2,932 in the last 24 hours.
For the fifth day in a row, the state reported a record-high number of current COVID hospitalizations. There are 1,792 people currently hospitalized in Tennessee. The number of total hospitalizations now sits at 11,055.
Tennessee has processed 3,999,108 tests with 3,698,650 negative results. The percentage of positive cases remains around 7.5%. Friday’s update added 22,774 tests to the state’s total with 14.7% percent positive cases.
Tennessee has seen a spike in cases, deaths, and hospitalizations for COVID-19 over the last few weeks. The state reported record high deaths (899) and cases (64,533) in the month of October.
Due to climbing COVID-19 case counts across the state, Sumner Regional Medical Center has reached capacity. Hospital officials told News 2 it is diverting patients with the virus to other hospitals. Tennessee Hospital Association President and CEO Wendy Long said this is often not only because of a lack of ICU beds, but staffing as well.
The state health department’s COVID-19 school dashboard shows about a thousand students tested positive for the virus last week, in addition to the more than 700 the week before, and staff totaling about 800 in the last two weeks.
A November 11 report by News 2’s Stassy Olmos examined the number of students and staff quarantined due to exposure. Looking at just four of the biggest school districts in Middle Tennessee, it’s more than 5,000.
A new study released by Vanderbilt University on November 10 shows a correlation between mask-wearing and death rates. On average, Tennessee counties that haven’t instituted any sort of face-covering requirements have seen double the COVID-19 death rates, or more, compared with those that have had mandates.
As COVID-19 cases trend upwards in Maury County, Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder says the public health response needs to improve. “What we’ve been seeing here in Columbia and Maury County is an increase in new cases, our hospitalizations are on the rise, our average positivity rate over the last seven days has exceeded the state average,” Molder said.
During the November 5 Metro Nashville Coronavirus Task Force press conference, the task force’s chair Dr. Alex Jahangir showed the daily new cases per hundred thousand people for Davidson, Montgomery, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, and Wilson counties. He said every county saw an improvement after reinstating its mask mandate, which had a positive impact on Davidson County as well. He then showed the daily new cases in Maury County, which does not have a mask mandate.
Last week, the mayor of Maury County said he stands by his decision not to enact a mask mandate.
Pfizer reported an early peek at its vaccine data suggested the shots may be 90% effective at preventing COVID-19, indicating the company is on track later this month to file an emergency use application with U.S. regulators.
Monday’s announcement doesn’t mean a vaccine is imminent: This interim analysis, from an independent data monitoring board, looked at 94 infections recorded so far in a study that has enrolled nearly 44,000 people in the U.S. and five other countries.
COVID-19 in Nashville
Earlier Friday, Metro Public Health Department officials reported an increase of 299 COVID-19 cases in Davidson County, bringing the county’s total to 39,101.
Teachers in Nashville shared stories from inside their classrooms about educating students during the COVID-19 pandemic during Tuesday’s Metro Nashville Public Schools Board of Education meeting.
He said outbreaks and quarantines are to be expected but as far as transmission inside the school buildings, that does not seem to be happening in a widespread capacity.
“There is a lot of transmission going on in the community and after hours, but I think we share the teachers’ and parents’ deep concern about the safety, but right now we have not detected children in school as being the source of that concern,” Cooper said.
Coronavirus outbreaks in the SEC
COVID-19 has hit the Southeastern Conference hard this week, causing four games to be postponed.
On Monday, Auburn vs. Mississippi State became the first game from the upcoming weekend to be postponed.
On Tuesday, two more games, Texas A&M vs. Tennessee and Alabama vs. LSU. On Wednesday morning, Georgia vs. Missouri became the latest SEC matchup to be shelved due to COVID-19.
Arkansas, one of the teams still scheduled to play this weekend, is having their own issue as head coach Sam Pittman has tested positive for COVID-19.
