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March 12 COVID update: Tennessee reports 1,543 new cases, 16 deaths

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Posted at 9:36 AM, Mar 12, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-12 16:55:15-05

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Tennessee Department of Health reports 1,543 new COVID cases and 16 additional deaths on Friday.

This brings the state's total case count to 789,652. Active cases are at 12,572. Today's percent positive rate of those tested is 6.08%.

So far 11,639 Tennesseans have died from the virus.

There are currently 699 patients hospitalized with confirmed cases of the virus.

The state also reported 1,471 recoveries in the past 24 hours.

Metro Public Health officials reported 195 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday. Two additional deaths were reported.

This brings Davidson County's total number of cases to 91,532; 89,056 of which are now considered to be inactive/recovered. Right now, there are 1,618 active cases.

Health officials said there have been two new confirmed deaths reported in the past 24 hours -- a 59-year-old man and an 84-year-old man, both with underlying health conditions.

Under the updated death reporting standards, 773 Davidson County residents have died from a confirmed case of COVID-19. Including probable cases, 858 deaths have been attributed to COVID-19.

The Metro Public Health Department has updated its reporting procedures surrounding deaths caused by COVID-19. MPHD will now report the number of deaths reported by the Tennessee Department of Health, with verification standards in place to work to confirm those reports in a timely manner. MPHD will continue to investigate the cause of death and county of residence to ensure an accurate and true count.



New cases per 100,000 people: 15.1
Seven-day percent positive of COVID-19 tests: 3.8

Available Middle Tennessee hospital beds: 13 percent
Available Middle Tennessee ICU beds: 10 percent

The MPHD COVID-19 Hotline received 546 calls on Thursday, March 11, 2021.

Total number of cases: 91,532
Cases reported in the past 24 hours: 195

Cases by sex
Male: 43,448
Female: 47,331
Unknown: 753

Cases by age

Unknown127
0-104,366
11-209,428
21-3025,460
31-4017,715
41-5012,126
51-6010,290
61-706,763
71-803,345
81+1,912
Total91,532
Inactive/Recovered89,056
Deaths858
Total active cases1,618


MORE TENNESSEE COVID-19 COVERAGE

See all our coronavirus coverage here

COUNTY-BY-COUNTY CASES IN TENNESSEE

What is COVID-19 (a.k.a. the new coronavirus?)

According to the World Health Organization, coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. Examples include the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV)and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans. COVID-19 stands for "Coronavirus disease 2019," which is when this strain of the coronavirus was discovered.

What are the symptoms?

The CDC says patients confirmed to have the 2019-nCoV reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with:

  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Or at least two of the following symptoms:

  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Repeated shaking with chills
  • Muscle pain
  • Headache
  • Sore throat
  • New loss of taste or smell

At this time, the CDC believes symptoms could appear as soon as two days after exposure, or as long as 14 days.

Prevention

The CDC is recommending "common sense" measures such as:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.