NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Mike Osborne) -- Tennessee is one of 14 states recording “their highest-ever seven-day average of new coronavirus cases,” according to a study released Monday by the Washington Post.
The number of new cases confirmed by state health officials has been rising steadily since the first May.
The running average of new cases reported across Tennessee on Monday, June 8, was 456 new infections per day. That represents a 51 percent increase over the previous four weeks.
On the plus side, Tennessee has suffered far fewer virus fatalities than most states. COVID-19 complications have contributed to the deaths of 421 residents. Of Tennessee's neighboring states, only Arkansas has experienced fewer fatalities.
Health officials are also reporting a spike in the number of new cases in Nashville. Mayor John Cooper announced Monday that he was postponing this week’s planned transition to Phase Three of the city’s pandemic recovery plan because Metro’s two week running average is on the rise.
Metro averaged 93 new cases per day during the last week of May. This past week the daily average jumped to 110 new cases each day. Metro reported an unusually high 184 new cases Tuesday. Seventy-three Nashville residents have died due to COVID-19 complications.
