CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Clarksville Montgomery County hit another record high of active coronavirus cases on Thursday, July 9, with 423.
That number is up from 391 on Wednesday.
Since March 19, when Montgomery County had its first COVID-19 case, there have been a total of 658 cases.
Currently, 64 percent of the total cases are active.
There have been approximately 36 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the county.
Joey Smith, director of the Montgomery County Health Department, said more testing and patient tracking are paying off.
“Daily testing and the test results are a public health tool. It helps us identify the people who are positive and need to be isolated. It also helps us identify close contacts, like other household members,” Smith said. “A big part of the increase in our cases is due to public health staff reaching out to individuals that have been in close contact with a positive case.”
Taking precautions seriously is the key to preventing further shutdowns and decreasing cases, Smith said.
“We all want to get back to normal activities.. such as watching football games, going to school dances, and ceremonies that recognize student achievement,” Smith said. “To do so, we need to continue to keep deaths and hospitalizations low.”
Smith said the following things can help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- Increase hygiene practices — wash hands more frequently, avoid touching the face, practice good respiratory etiquette when coughing or sneezing.
- Wear a cloth face covering while at work and in public to help protect against the spread of the virus.
- When in public, practice social distancing to the greatest extent possible — farther is safer.
Here are the full stats for July 9, as of 2 p.m.:
- 658 total cases since March 6, lab confirmed and probable
- 228 have recovered
- 7 deaths, lab confirmed and probable
- 423 active cases
- 1 new hospitalization
- 37 total hospitalizations
- 14,548 negative lab results
