MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - After saying it may not provide updated COVID-19 case data this weekend as it upgrades its national electronic disease surveillance system, Tennessee reported an increase of more than 1,180 cases statewide on Saturday.
The Tennessee Department of Health announced in a news release late Friday that it may not be able to update its virus case data on Saturday and Sunday due to the upgrade. Tennessee usually updates the number of coronavirus-related cases, deaths and other data on the department’s website on a daily basis.
The department’s website was updated Saturday afternoon. Tennessee reported an increase of 12 deaths, raising the state’s total to 3,353. The state has seen more than 260,600 cases since the new coronavirus pandemic began, health officials said.
The upgrade will not affect test result notification for patients, the health department said.
There may be a slight delay of less than 24 hours in case investigation and contact tracing efforts of newly identified cases, officials said.
Shelby County, the state’s largest by population, reported 284 additional COVID-19 cases and two additional deaths on Saturday. More than 37,700 cases and a total of 573 deaths have been reported in the county that includes Memphis.
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