NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tennessee hit another record for COVID-19 hospitalizations, breaking the previous record set earlier this week.
The latest numbers from overnight show there are now 1,300 people in Tennessee hospitals with confirmed cases of the coronavirus. That's up 52% since the first of the month.
BREAKING: Another record breaker, as the latest numbers from overnight show there are now 1,300 people in Tennessee hospitals with confirmed cases of #COVID19. Take a look at how dramatically the numbers are rising.
— Phil Williams (@NC5PhilWilliams) October 22, 2020
Statewide, we are now down to just 215 ICU beds. pic.twitter.com/KMuyuMMTsu
As of Thursday morning, the state is down to just 215 available ICU beds – about 11% of capacity. Across Tennessee, the number of available floor beds in the state's hospitals is down to 1,705. That's 15% of the capacity.
In addition to the 1,300 confirmed cases, there are another 170 hospital patients with possible cases of COVID-19, awaiting confirmation.
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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.
