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Tennessee Department of Health announces new coronavirus cases; state total now 39

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Posted at 8:40 AM, Mar 14, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-15 15:10:11-04

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Following the declaration of coronavirus as a national emergency, the Tennessee Department of Health has updated the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Tennessee.

While Williamson County was the first in the state to confirm a coronavirus case, Davidson County now has the most, with 17. Along with updates for other counties, the state total has reached 39 as of Sunday afternoon.

Numbers of confirmed coronavirus cases by county are below.

  • Campbell County -- 1
  • Davidson County -- 17
  • Hamilton -- 1
  • Jefferson -- 1
  • Knox -- 1
  • Rutherford -- 1
  • Shelby -- 2
  • Sullivan -- 1
  • Williamson -- 14

Nashville Mayor John Cooper announced Friday that the city has formed a task force to respond and monitor the spread of the sickness. Cooper was joined by Board of Health Chairman Dr. Alex Jahangir, Director of Health Dr. Michael Caldwell and Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Dr. William Shaffner, an infectious diseases specialist.

"We have the resources to take on this challenge," said Cooper, referring to the robust health care industry in Music City. "We have some of the most brilliant medical minds in the country."

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.