LIVE UPDATES: Coronavirus in the Mid-South: Two Shelby County Health Department employees test positive for COVID-19, official says
The impact of the novel coronavirus is being felt all across the Mid-South where new cases are being announced every day and new steps are being taken to help limit the spread. Keep checking back for the latest COVID-19 updates throughout the day.
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UPDATE: (12 p.m.) The Shelby County COVID-19 Joint Task Force gave its daily update on the coronavirus.
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said people who feel ill and have symptoms should get tested.
Strickland said testing is not being done currently unless a person has symptoms.
Strickland said there are not enough tests to test people who do not have symptoms.
More testing is being added today in Frayser and Hickory Hill.
The Mayor has launched the Mayor’s Meal Challenge in order to support both local restaurants and the Mid-South Food Bank.
The Mayor will pay $25 from leftover campaign funds to the Mid-South Food Bank for photos showing take-out purchases from local restaurants.
The photos must be posted to Mayor Strickland’s social media page or the City of Memphis social media page.
Strickland said he would like 100 photos this weekend
Photo submissions must tag either Mayor Strickland or the City of Memphis and use the hashtags #mayorsmealchallenge and #saferathome.
Strickland encouraged citizens to support local businesses.
Strickland said people could donate directly to the Mid-South Food Bank at www.midsouthfoodbank.org.
Tomorrow, the Links at Whitehaven golf course will open under strict social distancing guidelines approved by the health department as a test run.
Alisa Haushalter, director of the Shelby County Health Department, said there are 1,616 cases in Shelby County, an increase of 108 from yesterday.
Haushalter said the number of positive cases is still growing but not at the initial rate.
There have been 35 total deaths due to COVID-19 in Shelby County.
So far 15,437 people have been tested in Shelby County.
Haushalter said testing turnaround time is currently 24-48 hours.
Haushalter said local hospitals are not at full capacity yet.
People who work in hospital settings are at increased risk of COVID-19 exposure.
Almost 3,000 contacts have been identified, and 1,247 contact cases have been closed.
There are currently more than 1,000 contacts in quarantine.
Haushalter said two employees of the Shelby County Health Department have tested positive for COVID-19.
Anyone who had close contact with those people is in quarantine.
UPDATE: (10:41 a.m.) The Salvation Army of Memphis & the Mid-South is expanding its Canteen Ministry restaurant partnership to include serving meals to first responders, according to a press release.
Seven days a week through at least the end of May, employees at various locally-owned Panera Bread restaurants will prepare 250 meals a day to be served to first responders.
UPDATE: (10 a.m.) Shelby County health officials are reporting 1,616 cases of COVID-19.
35 people have died in Shelby County as a result of the virus.
UPDATE: (9:05 a.m.) Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves gave an update on the state’s shelter-in-place order this morning via Facebook.
Reeves said he has extended the order for seven more days.
Reeves thanked Mississippians for their strength and courage during this time.
“We are heading towards reopening,” Reeves said.
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