KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) – Active cases in Knox County dropped as health officials reported more than 150 new inactive cases on Wednesday.

Knox County reported no new deaths and 100 new cases of the novel coronavirus, a 1.31% increase in the total case count. Health officials also reported 157 new inactive cases.

There are now 1,798 active cases in Knox County, down from 1,852 reported on Tuesday.

The county has reported 64 total coronavirus-related deaths, 60 of which have come since July 2. The county reported 19 deaths in the month of August and six so far in September.

Of the 7,756 total confirmed cases reported in Knox County since the pandemic began, 294 of them have resulted in hospitalization at any point during their illness. There are currently 47 Knox County residents hospitalized with the virus.

The number of inactive cases is at 6,171 on Wednesday, which is up from 6,014 on Tuesday. 

Beginning last Friday, the Health Department started reporting “inactive” cases instead of “recovered” cases. Inactive cases include those who are 14 days or more beyond their illness onset date, or for asymptomatic cases, their specimen collection date. This is in alignment with the Tennessee Department of Health.

The change led to more than 1,000 cases being deemed inactive on Saturday and Sunday.

Knox County Health Department lists 277 probable cases of COVID-19 on the county website.

Knox County Health Department testing will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday at the Jacobs Building in Chilhowee Park.

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