Coronavirus updates: More than 700 inmates at Tennessee's prisons test positive for COVID-19

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756 state inmates currently have COVID-19

According to information from the Tennessee Department of Correction, as of Monday, 756 inmates being held at state prisons currently have the coronavirus.

Almost all those with cases at both Trousdale Turner Correctional Center in Hartsville and Bledsoe County Correctional Complex in Pikeville — both previously large coronavirus clusters — have recovered. Four men housed at those prisons have died after being diagnosed with COVID-19. 

As of Monday, the following prisons have active coronavirus cases:

• Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville - 333
• Hardeman County Correctional Facility in Whiteville - 152
• Trousdale Turner Correctional Center in Hartsville - 98
• South Central Correctional Facility in Clifton - 58
• Lois M. Derry Special Needs Facility in Nashville - 13
• Northeast Correctional Complex in Mountain City - 10 
• Women's Therapeutic Residential Center in Henning - 10
• Whiteville Correctional Facility - 6
• Tennessee Prison for Women in Nashville - 6
• Morgan County Correctional Complex in Wartburg - 5
• Turney Center Industrial Complex in Only - 4
• West Tennessee State Penitentiary in Henning - 4
• Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville - 3
• Bledsoe County Correctional Complex in Pikeville - 1

Mayor Cooper requires masks inside public buildings 

Nashville Mayor John Cooper signed an executive order Monday evening that requires masks to be worn inside government buildings in Davidson County.

Metro employees working alone in their offices or work spaces are exempted from the requirements listed in the executive order, a news release said. Also exempt from the order are:

• Children under the age of two;
• Older children who are unable to wear a mask properly or safely;
• Persons who would jeopardize their health or safety by wearing a face covering; and
• Persons who request an exemption based on individual circumstances.

Cases reach 18,011 across state 

The Tennessee Department of Health announced Monday that coronavirus cases across the state had reached at least 18,011, an increase of 623 cases since Sunday.

Of those infected, 301 have died, the department said, marking three new deaths in 24 hours. 

The department reported that 1,489 people have been hospitalized because of the virus, and 9,886 people have recovered. Over the last day, 234 Tennesseans have recovered.

In total, 337,428 people have been tested for the coronavirus statewide.

Free COVID-19 testing to continue in Mt. Juliet

Free COVID-19 drive-thru testing will continue this week in Mt. Juliet. It will be from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday through Thursday, at the Charlie Daniels Park located at 1075 Charlie Daniels Parkway.

Mt. Juliet and Kroger Health are partnering on the testing, which drew “hundreds” last week according to Kroger spokesperson Melissa Eads.

Individuals who don’t have symptoms and anyone with health concerns are eligible for the test.

Scheduling an appointment is required to be tested and can be done via Kroger Health’s online portal at www.krogerhealth.com/covidtesting. 

The Mt. Juliet Police Department and Kroger Health associates will direct traffic to the designated testing area. A Kroger health care provider will guide the patient through a self-administered nasal swab. Vehicle windows should be up on all vehicles when in the testing area and persons need to have a photo ID ready.

Nashville health department to hand out masks 

The Metro Public Health Department will hand out cloth masks to residents on Friday and Saturday at four community centers.

Each person who comes to the drive-thru sites will receive two cloth masks. The health department received 180,000 masks from the state, a news release says.

Here is where to go to receive the free masks:

Friday, May 22, 2020 9 a.m. -1 p.m.

• Hartman Park Community Center at 2801 Tucker Road 
• Bellevue Regional Center at 7638 A Highway 70 South 
• Madison Community Center at 550 North Dupont Ave. 
• Smith Springs Community Center at 2801 Smith Springs Road 

Saturday, May 23, 2020 9 a.m. -1 p.m.

• Hartman Park Community Center at 2801 Tucker Road 
• Bellevue Regional Center at 7638 A Highway 70 South 
• Madison Community Center at 550 North Dupont Ave. 
• Smith Springs Community Center at 2801 Smith Springs Road 

COVID-19 cases increase by 100 on Sunday

The Tennessee Department of Health reported there were 17,388 COVID-19 cases in the state on Sunday, up from 17,288 the previous day.

As of Sunday afternoon, 9,652 people have recovered, 1,482 and 298 people have died from the novel coronavirus. 

A total of 325,280 people in Tennessee have been tested for COVID-19 — over a 5,000 test increase from the previous day.

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 Friday, 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. 

Andy Humbles contributed.