NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) —Health officials report 77% of Tennessee counties have unacceptable coronavirus transmission rates.
Tennessee's active cases is still around 33,000 and total cases, including deaths and recoveries is just shy of 80,000 as of Monday. Studies show that Tennessee has not flattened the curve.
Data released Monday shows 73 of the state's 95 counties, or 77%, are "above the threshold" for acceptable rates of virus transmission. This is used the help determine if residents can visit family in long-term care facilities.
And it's not just metropolitan areas of Davidson and Shelby counties that are above the threshold.
Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Rutherford, Giles, Bradley, Hardeman, Hamblen, Smith, Haywood, Henderson, Shelby and Crockett, counties are leading the state with a rate of average number of new COVID-19 cases at more than 30. Macon County leads the state with a rate of 62.73. Putnam is close behind with just under rate of 30.
Davidson County currently has the highest average number of new daily COVID-19 cases with 348.
Both Governor Bill Lee and Nashville Mayor John Cooper tell FOX 17 News they are standing by their decision to not increase restrictions such as closing businesses as the virus spreads.
According to a new interactive database released by Johns Hopkins, Tennessee's curve has not been flattened as virus cases are continuing to rise. The last time new daily COVID-19 cases were well below 1,000 was July 6, with many days well above that number.