New Virus Cases, Tests Continue to Rise

New Virus Cases, Tests Continue to Rise

New virus case numbers rose by 220 over the last 24 hours. It’s the fourth day in a row the number has swelled into the triple digits. It’s the highest the number has been since February 5th. The new cases put the total of all positive cases in Shelby County since March 2020 at 87,449.  

Total current active cases of the virus — the number of people known to have COVID-19 in the county — fell to 1,343. The number reached a record high of more than 8,000 in late December. The figure had been as low as 1,299 in September, and rose above 2,000 in October. The new active case count represents 1.5 percent of all cases of the virus reported here since March.

As of Monday in Shelby County, 114,475 COVID-19 vaccine doses had been given. As of Thursday morning, 35,052 people had been given two doses for full vaccination, and 79,423 had been given a single dose.

The Shelby County Health Department reported that 3,345 tests were given in the last 24 hours. Since March, 2020, 1,012,618 tests have been given. This figure includes multiple tests given to some people.

The latest weekly positivity rate fell again for the sixth week in a row to 6.4 percent. That’s down from the 7.4 percent rate recorded in the previous week, and down from the record-high 17.5 percent in late December.

Nineteen new deaths were reported over the last 24 hours. The health department said those deaths ranged in dates from December 17th to February 19th. The total death toll now stands at 1,479. The average age of those who have died in Shelby County is 74, according to the health department. The age of the youngest COVID-19 death was 13. The oldest person to die from the virus was 103.