Sunday, May 10 coronavirus updates: State case total rises to 14,985

We'll have the latest news on the fight against the coronavirus in Tennessee below — as always, for free, because we want to share this vital information with our community. To support our mission, please consider a subscription.

14,985 confirmed COVID-19 cases reported in Tennessee

The Tennessee Department of Health reported 14,985 COVID-19 cases in the state Sunday afternoon. The number of cases increased by 217. 

As of Sunday afternoon, there are 7,528 recoveries, 243 confirmed deaths and 1,325 hospitalizations due to the novel coronavirus. 

Over 261,800 people have been tested for COVID-19 in Tennessee.

66 new coronavirus cases detected in Nashville

Nashville health officials announced Sunday morning an additional 66 cases of coronavirus have been detected among city residents in the past 24 hours.

This brings the citywide total to 3,652 cases of the virus. About half of those people have already recovered from the virus.

No new virus deaths were reported on Sunday. Thirty-five Nashville residents have died since the outbreak began in early March.

More than 33,000 virus tests have been conducted in the city. About 10% have been positive.

Tennessee coronavirus cases rise 2% to 14,768

Tennessee detected another 327 new cases of coronavirus on Saturday, raising the statewide total by about 2% from 14,441 to 14,768.

Nearly half of the people who have tested positive since the outbreak began have already recovered from the virus, according to state health statistics.

The statewide death toll rose by one to 242.

A total of 1,319 people have been hospitalized for the virus since it first came to Tennessee in March.

As of midday on Saturday, Tennessee had conducted 9,170 coronavirus tests in the past 24 hours, which is about average for the state. More than 252,000 people had been tested, bring the statewide positive rate to about 5.8%.

Nashville to reopen some businesses on Monday

Nashville restaurants and retail stores will be allowed to open their doors for the first time in seven weeks on Monday.

City officials have amended coronavirus restrictions to allow these businesses to open their buildings to customers at half capacity. Other businesses, including bars and barber shops, remain closed.

Businesses should require employees to wear face masks and request customers to do so, and all employees must be screened for coronavirus symptoms daily. Customers should be spaced six feet apart while dining or waiting in line. Businesses are expected to remove items that are normally shared by multiple people, like pens or coffee pots, that could potentially transmit the virus.

Mayor John Cooper has said the city plans to enforce these rules but stressed the most powerful enforcement tool belonged to customers. If businesses do not take steps to protect their customers, then their customers should go elsewhere, Cooper said.

“It’s the responsibility of the business to keep you safe,” the mayor said. “If they are not doing that, don’t patronize that business.”