Transmission rate now in the red zone since the start of Nashville's Phase 3 of reopening
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — The COVID-19 transmission rate in Nashville is now in the "red zone" according to the latest numbers released by the Metro Public Health Department.
Health officials reported the unsatisfactory transmission rate of 1.11 on Monday. It's the first time the transmission rate has been marked red as a concern since the city entered into Phase 3 of reopening on Oct. 1.
The transmission rate is the rate at which the virus causes secondary or new cases in an area. A transmission rate of 1.0 means that each person with the virus has passed it to one other person. Nashville's goal is to have a transmission rate less than 1.01.
Metro Health says a transmission rate above a rate of 1.0 signals a spread; while a rate below 1.0 shows that the spread of the virus is slowing down.
The transmission rate is just one of the metrics public health officials keep an eye on in Davidson County to determine each stage of reopening the city.
New cases per 100,000 residents and the hospital capacity of both floor beds and ICU beds have been labeled as less than satisfactory by the health department. Nashville's 14-day new case trend, public health and testing capacity, and the seven-day positive test rate appear to be in good shape, according to Metro's numbers.
Status of Key Metrics:
- New cases per 100,000 people: 19.22
- Seven-day percent positive of COVID-19 tests: 4.2
- Available Middle Tennessee hospital beds: 15 percent
- Available Middle Tennessee ICU beds: 16 percent
- The MPHD COVID-19 Hotline received 11 calls on Sunday, October 11
Including both confirmed and probable cases, Davidson County has a total of 30,575 cases, an increase of 209 in the past day. 94.5 percent of those cases have recovered while 1,405 are still active.
284 deaths have been attributed to the virus in Nashville. 154 are currently hospitalized due to COVID-19.
The state has also seen a recent rise in cases. The Tennessee Department of Health reported 13,054 cases last week, a nearly 50% increase from 8,704 the week before.
