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May 8 COVID-19 update: 14,441 total cases, 241 deaths in Tennessee

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Posted at 9:09 AM, May 08, 2020
and last updated 2020-05-08 23:41:33-04

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Tennessee Department of Health confirmed there were 345 additional COVID-19 cases in the state Friday, bringing the total to 14,441. The also reported a total of 241 deaths due to the virus.

A total of 243,578 people have been tested, 1,299 are hospitalized, but thankfully 7,011 people have recovered.

Metro Public Health Department officials have confirmed 3,460 total cases of COVID-19 in Nashville/Davidson County, an increase of 28 in the past 24 hours. Thirty-five deaths have been reported.

The confirmed cases range in age from 2 months to 99 years and 1,810 individuals have recovered from the virus.

The MPHD COVID-19 Hotline received 195 calls on Wednesday, May 7, 2020.

Mayor John Cooper announced Thursday that the city will begin Phase One of its reopening process on Monday. The city's "Safer-at-Home" order remains in effect until then.

As Nashville enters this phase, Dr. Alex Jahangir emphasized that things won't go back to normal, saying it's just the first step of the plan. Right now, restaurants and retail stores can only operate at half capacity. Additionally, employees must wear face masks and have their temperatures checked.

Business owners can click here to view additional resources.

If you see a business not following the protocols of Phase One, you're encouraged to report them or call 311. Dr. Michael Caldwell said 20 additional investigators will be hired on top of the current 10 to enforce these rules.


Total number of cases: 3,460
Cases reported in the past 24 hours: 28

Cases by sex
Male: 1,751
Female: 1,530
Unknown: 179

Total cases by age

Unknown
67
0-10
87
11-20
247
21-30
868
31-40
674
41-50
537
51-60
470
61-70
301
71-80
140
81+
69
Total
3,460
Recovered
1,810
Deaths
35
Total active cases
1,615

During the state’s 2 p.m. update, the Tennessee Department of Health confirmed 14,096 total cases statewide. As of Thursday, 6,783 Tennesseans have recovered from the virus and 237 have died.

Current county-by-county numbers are available in the map below this story, updated daily after 2 p.m. These numbers may not add up the total number, as the daily reports from the Tennessee Department of Health often have dozens of cases that have yet been linked to a county.

Editor's Note: We are publishing updates to our COVID-19 count multiple times daily, but with a new story created each day to help track the growth of the virus in the state. Our latest reporting will always be at the top of our website at https://www.newschannel5.com. If this story is more than 24 hours old, (the date this story was published is available at the top of our story, just under the headline) please head to our homepage for our most accurate information.

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.