New Virus Cases Rise by 38, Lowest Since March

New Virus Cases Rise by 38, Lowest Since March

New virus case numbers rose by 38 over the last 24 hours. The figure hasn’t been that low since late March. The figure has not been in the double digits since late May. The new cases put the total of all positive cases in Shelby County since March at 86,644.  

Total current active cases of the virus — the number of people known to have COVID-19 in the county — fell to 2,143, continuing what has become a daily slide in the figure. 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 2.5 percent of all cases of the virus reported here since March.

In Shelby County, 101,855 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been given. As of Thursday morning, 28,710 people had been given two doses for full vaccination, and 73,145 had been given a single dose.

The Shelby County Health Department reported that 1,475 tests have been given in the last 24 hours. Since March, 1,002,601 tests have been given here. This figure includes multiple tests given to some people.

The latest weekly positivity rate fell again for the fifth week in a row to 7.4 percent. That’s down from the 9.4 percent rate recorded in the previous week, and down from the record-high 17.5 percent in late December.

Two new deaths were reported over the last 24 hours. Though, those deaths may have not 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 1,443.

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.