CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the increase in deaths.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) – The number of confirmed coronavirus cases on Thursday in Tennessee is 21,679 with 356 deaths and 415,989 tests, Tennessee Department of Health said.
Cases rose by 373 — or 1.8% — from Wednesday. The number of deaths from the coronavirus jumped by three — or a 0.8% one-day increase, according to the Department of Health.
RELATED: Timeline of the pandemic
There have been 1,689 people hospitalized and 14,632 have recovered.
RELATED: Tracking the spread of coronavirus in the United States
The latest update on the site Rt.live shows Tennessee has the highest rate of coronavirus spread of any state. “Rt” is the average number of people who become infected by an infectious person. If Rt is above 1.0, the virus will spread quickly. When Rt is below 1.0, the virus will stop spreading. Tennesse’s Rt on Thursday afternoon is 1.06.
Bordering states, Arkansas and Alabama, also are among the states with high Rt numbers.
One person raising concerns is Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke. He says recent data shows the coronavirus is still actively spreading throughout the Chattanooga area. As of Wednesday, Hamilton County — which encompasses Chattanooga — had 774 confirmed cases, more than double the number it had 10 days earlier.
The Knox County Health Department begins walk-in testing next week at its main office.
Gov. Bill Lee has announced more guidance for noncontact sports, summer camps and for colleges and universities.
