By some measures, as Memphis finishes its first week of a significant shutdown, the state of the coronavirus pandemic locally is not too bad: There have been no deaths. There are only a handful of coronavirus patients hospitalized. There are about 500 empty hospital beds in the metro Memphis area. There are “thousands of tests”… Read More
Eliza is a vibrant, exuberant and opinionated 4-year-old, according to mother, Rachael Boer. She looks healthy, but she has primary ciliary dyskinesia, a disorder characterized by chronic respiratory tract infections and sinus problems, among other issues. She’s had it since the day she was born, the same day her parents adopted her.
The quiet that descends on the city now as nonessential businesses are closed is imperative for the fight in what is still an early epidemic here, according to the head of the health department.
As thousands get tested here, one of the unspoken worries is the number of false negatives, either because the infection wasn’t full blown when the test was taken, the swabbing wasn’t deep enough (it’s uncomfortable and people pull away) or the tests are inconsistent.
The drive-up testing center at Tiger Lane will open Monday to the general public. A doctor’s referral will be required to be tested in the center run by the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in partnership with the city and county.
The senior associate dean of the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center says doctors and researchers there hope to have a local test for COVID-19 within two weeks that can be processed in Memphis.
No new confirmed cases of coronavirus were reported at a 2 p.m. briefing Thursday after the Shelby County Health Department said Thursday morning there are now 10 confirmed cases of COVID-19 countywide. The health department said 81 people countywide are under observation with symptoms as of Thursday afternoon.
With 10 confirmed cases, Shelby County is now in the early stages of community transmission, a phase in the epidemic where the majority of new cases will not be related to travel.
