Testing continues to increase across the Commonwealth, including among the most vulnerable of the population in long term care facilities.
Cabinet for Health and Family Services Eric Frielander says his office tested over 11,000 residents and staff members in long term care facilities over the weekend.
He says when a portion of those tests began to come back positive, they immediately acted to help bring the worse of the situation under control and help to stabilize those facilities. Many patients were moved to University of Louisville Hospital and other partner organizations, and are getting the care they need to hopefully make a full recovery.
Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack says the evidence is clear that large events will spread the disease rapidly, and they’re depending on everyone to take special care to stay safe.
Governor Andy Beshear had not given an update since Saturday, so on Tuesday he announced 387 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state. Broken down, there were 141 cases on Sunday, 122 new cases on Monday and Tuesday saw 117 new cases, and he says those numbers continue to show that the state is in a decline.
That put the state total at 8,951, with151 of those being probable and 3,115 having recovered—193,576 people total have been tested in the Commonwealth at this point. He also announced three new COVID-19 related deaths for those three days, bringing the total up to 394 since the pandemic began.
Tennessee is at 20,965 cases of COVID-19 and is reporting 343 deaths since the pandemic began. Montgomery County is now at 251 cases, Robertson County is reporting 414 cases and Stewart County now has nine cases.