Weekly Average Rate Falls From Record High
New virus case numbers rose by 246 over the last 24 hours. The new total puts the total of all positive cases in Shelby County since March at 53,058.
Total current active cases of the virus — the number of people known to have COVID-19 in the county — fell slightly to 3,311. The figure had been as low as 1,299 in September and rose above 2,000 in October. The new active case count represents 6.2 percent of all cases of the virus reported here since March.
The Shelby County Health Department reported 2,412 tests were given in the last 24 hours. Total tests given here since March now total 712,060. This figure includes multiple tests given to some people.
Area hospitals are again straining with high patient numbers. There were 2,141 patients in acute care beds here, putting occupancy rates at 91 percent. Of those patients, 329 were COVID-positive. Only 217 acute care beds were available Friday morning. Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds were 93 percent full with only 30 beds available. Of the 405 patients in ICU beds now, 140 are COVID-positive.
The latest weekly positivity rate fell slightly one week after a record high. The average positive of test results for the week of November 29th was 11.3 percent. That’s down from the record 12.9 percent for the week of November 22nd.
Four new deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours and the number now stands at 726. The average age of those who have died in Shelby County is 73, 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.
There are 8,383 contacts in quarantine.
