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Tennessee coronavirus cases up to 73




Gov. Bill Lee talks about the state’s response to the coronavirus outbreak on Tuesday.

Gov. Bill Lee talks about the state’s response to the coronavirus outbreak on Tuesday.

Gov. Bill Lee said Tuesday that he does not know how many coronavirus tests have been conducted in the state, nor does it matter – the only tests that matter are those that show a positive result.

There are 73 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Tennessee as of Tuesday afternoon.

The state only counts how many tests are run by the State Public Health Laboratory, according to the Department of Health coronavirus website, tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov.html. The state lab has run 352 tests, with 22 showing positive and 350 showing negative.

The website is only showing positive cases from private-run labs – 51 at this time.

When asked about the number of tests given, Lee said it does not matter.

“It’s not helpful for us to know how many people are being tested,” Lee said. “What’s most helpful for us is to know how many are being tested positive. And it’s helpful for us to know people are not being turned away.”

Lee said the state and its private partners can test thousands of people per day. Vanderbilt University Medical Center alone has the capacity to test 1,000 per day. The state can test about 900 per day.

“We don’t have thousands of people a day presenting to be tested,” Lee said.

If a doctor takes a sample and sends it to a private lab, the state does not require the lab to provide it with negative tests, the governor said.

The Tennessee Department of Health reports cases in these counties: Campbell, 1; Davidson, 42; Hamilton, 1; Jefferson, 1; Knox, 2; Rutherford, 1; Sevier, 1; Shelby, 2; Sullivan, 1; Williamson, 21.

“We don’t know how many thousands of tests are available or how many tests are being performed that turn up negative, because that information’s not helpful,” Lee said.

In other developments, Lee said during his daily press conference Tuesday, all school districts will have closed by Friday.

Ongoing state measures include:

  • Suspending inspections of day care facilities
  • Making plans to provide $10 million in grants to child care facilities struggling to adjust to virus-related issues.
  • Changing ways to access TANF benefits. UP to $1,000 for family of five who experienced loss of job and qualify for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding.
  • Working with federal government on SNAP to make it easier to access.
  • The Department of Labor and Workforce Development is trying to estimate the number of job losses. The unemployment insurance trust fund provides benefits; the state is making changes to provide benefits for those who lose a job and for those quarantined by a doctor and out of work temporarily.
  • Working with the federal government to try to eliminate job search requirements in the job insurance trust fund. The state suspended rules to speed up payments.
  • The Legislature will approve a fast-track budget soon that will pay for the emergency measures.
  • Provide local governments with $200 million in funds for coronavirus needs.

Lee urged citizens to pray for one another and donate blood.

The governor also said he thinks the state will be able to place money into the rainy-day fund by cutting spending on non-essential items.

Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey said officials are looking at expanding bed capacity in hospitals by measures that include canceling elective procedures and using unlicensed beds. If needed, closed rural hospitals may be activated.

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