NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Tennessee reported 1,575 new coronavirus cases and 11 new COVID-19 related deaths on Thursday.
That brings the total case count to 46,890, up 3.5% — and deaths to 620, up 1.8%, from Wednesday, the Tennessee Department of Health reported..
The virus first reportedly arrived in the state in early March.
Some 28,938 people have recovered from the virus. There have been 2,775 people hospitalized and 838,084 have been tested.
Knox County, which has recorded record numbers of new cases in three of the past four days, reported its first COVID-19 related death since late April.
Despite legal concerns, the Knox County Board of Health responded to the rise in cases on Wednesday night with a resolution to mandate masks be worn in indoor public places beginning Friday. Notably, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs voted against the measure and Knox County Sheriff Tom Spangler said he has no plans for his deputies to enforce it.
East Tennessee, which largely escaped rapid spikes from March through May, is now seeing cases explode.
One week case increases in selected East Tennessee counties
Anderson 24, up 30%
Blount 55, up 37%
Cocke 40, up 111%
Grainger, 14, up 56%
Hamblen 134, up 83%
Jefferson 41, up 51%
Knox 239, up 31%
Loudon 27, up 11%
Sevier 217, up 42%
Meanwhile, Nashville Mayor John Cooper announced Thursday that Nashville will move back into a modified version of Phase Two of the city’s road to reopening plan.
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