NASHVILLE, Tenn (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Governor Bill Lee announced on Thursday, March 4, that a case of Coronavirus has been confirmed in Williamson County, the first confirmed case in Tennessee.
According to Tennessee Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey, the individual in question is a 44-year old resident of Williamson County who recently traveled out of state, though not internationally.
The patient in question has been back in Tennessee for four to five days. Though the patient’s symptoms are considered mild, he is currently quarantined at home, along with his family.
“We have been anticipating identification of COVID-19 cases in Tennessee,” Piercey said in a statement to WPLN. “We are now working closely with the CDC and local health partners to identify this patient’s contacts and contain the spread of this disease in our community.”
Governor Bill Lee recently announced the formation of a COVID-19 Task Force, to enhance Tennessee’s efforts in preventing, identifying and treating potential COVID-19 cases in the state.
“Tennessee was one of the first first states to begin COVID-19 testing and we continue to remain confident in our ability to prevent the spread of this infection in our state. We are actively engaged in our COVID-19 task force,” said Gov. Lee in a statement to WKRN.
“While this is a serious situation, I urge Tennesseans to keep this illness in perspective as the vast majority of cases are mild and manageable.”
Representative Mark Green also issued a response on the matter, urging Tennesseans to remain calm:
“As an emergency medicine physician, I can say with certainty that the risk of infection to the general public remains low. The United States is the most capable nation in the world to handle a health crisis. There is no need to panic, only to take the normal health precautions.”
Local and CDC officials have offered guidance to Americans, stressing the importance of regular hand washing and staying home when sick.
For more information on COVID-19 and its prevention, Click here.