Active Virus Cases Continue Near-Daily Slide
New virus case numbers rose by 254 over the last 24 hours. The new cases put the total of all positive cases in Shelby County since March at 83,489.
Total current active cases of the virus — the number of people known to have COVID-19 in the county — fell by 223 to 3,730, continuing what has become a daily slide in the figure. The number reached a record high of more than 8,000 four weeks ago. The figure had been as low as 1,299 in September and rose above 2,000 only in October. The new active case count represents 4.5 percent of all cases of the virus reported here since March.
In Shelby County, 1,983 COVID-19 vaccine doses were reported to be administered in the last 24 hours. So far, 64,430 COVID-19 vaccines have been given, according to the health department. As of Wednesday morning, 15,823 people had been given two doses for full vaccination, and 48,607 had been given a single dose.
The Shelby County Health Department reported that 2,087 tests have been given in the last 24 hours. Since March, 957,759 tests have been given here in total. This figure includes multiple tests given to some people.
As of Tuesday, acute care beds were 90 percent full in area hospitals, with 230 beds available. Of the 2,136 patients in acute care beds now, 234 of them were COVID-19-positive. Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds were 94 percent full, with 26 beds available. Of the 381 patients in ICU beds now, 90 were COVID-19-positive.
The latest weekly positivity rate fell again for the third week in a row to 9.8 percent. That’s down from the record-high 17.5 percent in late December.
Seven new deaths were reported over the last 24 hours, though those deaths may not have all occurred within the last day. Reports come from many agencies and aren’t all reported on the day of the death. The total death toll now stands at 1,296.
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 101.
