The number of coronavirus cases in Shelby County rose to 66 by Sunday afternoon, a rise that health officials here said was “not unexpected.”
As has been the case throughout the coronavirus pandemic here and across the country, more cases are being reported as more testing is done. This is the case with Sunday’s increase, according to the Shelby County Health Department.
“The increase in case numbers is not unexpected because testing has increased, especially by commercial laboratories,” according to a statement by the health department Sunday.
The new coronavirus number includes one person from out of state who tested positive in Shelby County. Health officials here say person-to-person spread in the community may be occurring.
Fifty Shelby County residents have been approved for coronavirus testing by the state laboratory. There are now 114 people being monitored here by health officials.
Across Tennessee, 505 cases have been reported to state health officials. State lab reports are given to local health departments at 2 p.m. each day.
COVID-19 Cases
Shelby County: 66
Tennessee: 505
Shelby County Residents Approved for Testing by State Lab: 50
Persons Under Public Health Monitoring in Shelby County: 114
The health department here still recommends strict adherence to social-distancing recommendations:
· Avoid handshakes and close contact with others whenever possible.
· Cancel or postpone gatherings of 10 or more people. Instead of visiting friends or relatives, call or video chat.
· Stay at home whenever possible. While Shelby County School students and many others are out of school, keep children home and plan home-based activities.
· Children and adults may exercise outdoors, while maintaining at least six feet of distance from others.
· Do not go to work or go out in public if you are sick, especially with fever, cough or other respiratory symptoms.
· Re-evaluate travel plans. It is strongly recommended to avoid any unnecessary travel. If traveling overseas, check the CDC’s travel advisory website, which is updated daily: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel. If traveling within the U.S., avoid destinations where COVID-19 has been reported.
· Avoid non-essential flights. Traveling by private vehicle limits exposure to other people.
· Wash your hands thoroughly and often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Scrub dirt under fingernails with a brush and soap.
· Practice respiratory etiquette by using a tissue if coughing or sneezing, then throwing the tissue away and washing your hands.
· Sanitize surfaces that are frequently touched by many people with anti-bacterial wipes or diluted bleach solution.
Messages for Community/Business Leaders:
· Cancel or postpone meetings and conferences of 10 or more people.
· Consider conducting all conferences or meetings by phone or video chat rather than face-to-face.
· Adhere to CDC travel guidelines by reviewing the CDC’s travel website (https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel) and avoiding destinations with travel health notices.
· Discourage workers from using other workers’ phones, desks, offices, or other work tools and equipment, whenever possible.
· Encourage and enable employee telecommuting to limit person-to-person interactions as much as possible.
· Businesses that serve the public, including retail and grocery stores should encourage social distancing by spacing out customer service and check-out lines as much as possible.
· Consider providing delivery or curbside pick-up options to limit interactions in stores.
