Coronavirus in Tennessee: Knox County reports 156 new cases & 998 inactive cases

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) – Knox County reported no new deaths and over 150 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday.

The Knox County Health Department reported 156 new cases of the novel coronavirus, along with 998 inactive cases.

Beginning Friday, “Inactive” cases will be reported instead of “Recovered” cases. “Inactive” cases include those who are 14 days or more beyond their illness onset date. This is in alignment with the Tennessee Department of Health.

There are now 1,573 active cases in Knox County down from 2,407 reported on Friday..

Knox County has had 62 coronavirus-related deaths; 57 of them since July 2. The county reported 19 deaths in the month of August and four so far in September.

Of the 7,184 total confirmed cases reported in Knox County since the pandemic began, 279 of them have resulted in hospitalization at any point during the illness.

The number of inactive cases is at 5,812 on Saturday, which is up from 4,814 on Friday. “Inactive” cases include those who are 14 days or more beyond their illness onset date. This number also refers to those who have been released from isolation after 10 days from their onset of symptoms, plus 24 hours of being symptom-free. Recovered does not mean necessarily the person had to be hospitalized.

Knox County Health Department lists 263 probable cases of COVID-19 on the county website.

Testing returned to the Jacobs Building in Chilhowee Park this week. Testing hours are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

KCHD updates its numbers daily at 11 a.m. Visit covid.knoxcountytn.gov for more information. Press briefings by Knox County Health Department are on Tuesday and Thursdays. Briefings begin at 12:30 p.m.