CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW)- The while the number of active COVID-19 cases in Clarksville-Montgomery County continues to increase health officials say the number of people healing also continue to increase and the number of negative testing does as well.
As of June 10, 2020, there has been a total of 309 positive COVID-19 cases in Montgomery County, according to state data.
There are currently 169 active cases and 136 people have recovered from COVID-19.
Montgomery County did report another person has died, bringing the total to four people.
“Although a majority of people can fight off a COVID-19 infection, every death is a reminder that this person had to get it from someone,” said Joey Smith, director of the Montgomery County Health Department. ” The virus is still present in our community but it’s a manageable risks by washing hands and wearing masks in our community.”
There’s been 9,236 negative lab results in the county. The numbers fluctuated from yesterday because three people recovered from the virus, there were no new positive tests and one person was not from Montgomery County.
“Typically we average three positive tests for every 100 people tested,” Smith said. “Sometimes the “spike” in cases shows there were a whole bunch of tests taken and we also had a lot of negatives.”
Understanding the numbers
Smith explained when determining the intensity of COVID-19 in Montgomery County he looks at the data as a whole, not just the number of positive cases for any given day.
“One of our biggest spikes in cases was on April 10, when we had five positive cases, but only 28 cases that day,” Smith said. “Since the pandemic started in early March, there have been a few days where the number of positive tests seemed to jump, but we also factor in the total number of tests taken. With 16 positive cases, May 23rd may have seemed like the biggest single-day increase, but if we only look at the number of positive cases, the 5 new cases on April 10th may have gone unnoticed.”
Smith said on May 23rd there were 16 positive tests that day and 242 negative lab results.
“I look at the rate of positives going up or down. Our rate of positives have been on the decline for well over a month,” Smith said. “We’ve had a month of downward trend of our rate of positives.”
Smith said he looks at the number of deaths, hospitalizations and rate of positive cases. The current rate of positive cases is 3.2 percent.
“The data shows we are meeting the guidelines to reopen,” Smith said. “…Our whole goal was not to have a certain number of cases, but not to overwhelm our medical hospitals. We were saying we need to flatten the curve. When you just count cases you forget that. I think of how many beds are available at the hospital. Right now we have two people in the hospital in our whole county. We’d like zero of course.”
Since June 1st, testing has been available each weekday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at William O. Beach Civic Hall.
“There are three things that we can do to help,” Smith said. “Not because we are living in fear, but as a gesture of kindness to others.”
- Increase hygiene practices—wash hands more frequently, avoid touching 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
- Practice recommended social distancing to the greatest extent possible— “Further is safer
Tennessee COVID cases
The Tennessee Health department reported 294 new cases on June 10, 2020, bringing the state to a total of 27,869 cases, a 1% day-to-day increase since Tuesday.
TDH also confirmed one additional death, bringing Tennessee up to 436 total deaths.
Out of the confirmed positive cases, 18,516 have recovered, an increase of 450 recoveries.
The latest number of hospitalizations went up by 16 to 1,990. A note on the department’s website states this total is an indication of the number of patients that were ever hospitalized during their illness and not an indication of the number of patients currently hospitalized.
Tennessee is among several states experiencing an increase in coronavirus-related hospitalizations since May 25.
Public health officials said they consider the increases to be related to a reopening of the economy or a disregard of social distancing guidelines, including not wearing masks.
“Wearing a masks doesn’t’ mean you live in fear in of getting COVID-19,” Smith said. “It means you don’t’ want to infect someone who can’t fight it off.”