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COVID-19 cases top 4,000 in Tennessee

COVID-19 cases top 4,000 in Tennessee

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Tennessee has risen to 4,138.

The state health department reported 845 cases in Shelby County. The Tennessee death toll from the pandemic has reached 72.

Health officials have broken the cases down into their age ranges, with the most cases being reported in people 21-30 years old.

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:

• Fever

• Cough

• Shortness of breath 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 cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Governor Bill Lee's guidance for mass gatherings, schools, state employees and the state capitol building to prevent the virus'

spread:

• Mass Gatherings — The CDC recommends gatherings of 10 people or more in the U.S. be canceled or postponed over the next eight weeks. The CDC added this advisory does not apply to placed of business and schools.

• Schools — Tennessee schools are urged to close as soon as practically possible, with all schools expected to close by March 24. Schools should remain closed through April 17 to further mitigate the spread of the infectious disease.

• State Employees, Business Travel — Effective immediately, state employees who have been trained and certified to work from home within the state’s Alternative Workplace Solutions (AWS) program will work from home. Approximately 11,000 state employees are certified AWS employees and can begin work from home with no disruption to state business. ***

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