Another day, another grim milestone ... doesn't it feel like that message is now on daily repeat?

Today's grim milestone is the state surpassed 5,000 deaths from COVID today. As a point of reference - and as a note to everyone who likes to say COVID deaths are similar in number to influenza-like deaths - COVID deaths have far outstripped flu/pneumonia deaths from the last several years of available statistics. In the state of Tennessee, flu/pneumonia deaths in 2017 numbered 1,656 according to data from the CDC. In 2016, that category of deaths in Tennessee equaled 1,533; in 2015: 1,723; and in 2014: 1,602. If COVID deaths top 6,500 in Tennessee, the virus will have killed more Tennesseans than flu/pneumonia over those four years combined.

Metro hit a grim milestone of its own today, as Nashville surpassed 50,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Metro Nashville

As of 9:30 today, the city reported 50,275 confirmed cases, an increase of 192 since yesterday. There are currently 3,303 active cases in Nashville, 46,592 inactive or recovered cases and 451 active hospitalizations. With 380 deaths (up 2 since Friday), the city has a case fatality rate of 0.76%. In Davidson County, 681,827 tests have been administered with an overall positive rate of 8.9% (and a 7-day testing percent positive of 14%).

Out of 8 metrics on the trend lines, Nashville has 2 in the green, 3 in the yellow and 3 in the red - transmission rate, ICU bed capacity, and new cases per 100,000 residents. With a goal for transmission to be less than 1.00, the city's current transmission rate of 1.20, keeping the city in the red. The 14-day case trend is in the yellow with new cases categorized as having a 'slight' increase. Public health and testing capacity remain in the green, as they have throughout.

As of 9:30 am this morning, hospital floor bed capacity remained in the yellow with 16% availability (up from 13% on Friday). However, ICU beds remain in the red with current availability at 9% capacity (up slightly from 8% on Friday). The goal for both hospital and ICU bed capacity is 20%.

The New Cases per 100K Residents has remained in the red for the last few weeks. The goal of the seven-day rolling average is to be less than 10. Currently, Nashville sits at 64 as of 9:30 am this morning. The goal for the 7-Day Positivity Rate is to see a figure at 10% or less. Currently, Nashville remains in the yellow with a rate of 14%.

More detailed data is available on the Metro Dashboard. Click here for details.

Nashville remains in a modified Phase 3 of COVID Reopening with new restrictions having been put in place over the last couple of weeks, including the Rule of 8 for indoor gatherings without a pre-approved event plan. The city also continues its mask mandate, with several nearby counties having reinstated similar mandates after letting them expire earlier. Governor Bill Lee extended the Tennessee State of Emergency tied to COVID-19 through Dec. 29.

Tennessee State

As of this afternoon, the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) confirmed an additional 8,136 new cases of COVID-19 with the state total hitting 408,730. There are currently 2,529 hospitalizations (a net gain of 23 since yesterday) and 5,009 deaths (up 66 in 24 hours) for a death rate of 1.23. Nearly 4.7 million tests have been administered statewide (up 42,198 in 24 hours) with an 18.68% positive rate for the day. The number of inactive/recovered cases statewide is 362,818 as of this afternoon. Hospital capacity remains a concern with availability of 17% of floor beds and 11% of ICU beds open statewide, although both numbers are an improvement over Friday's availability.