Nashville Sees Surge in COVID19 Cases as Nearby Sumner Re-Opens

Even as suburban counties such as Sumner "re-open" per Gov. Bill Lee's plan, Nashville is seeing a surge in cases of COVID-19, reports WSMV.

The transmission rate of COVID-19 in Davidson County has increased to 1.0 after an additional 100 cases were reported on Monday. Health offiicals also reported two deaths.

The increase raised Metro's total to 2,588, an increase of 375 new cases since Saturday.

Dr. Alex Jahangir said it was likely the Safer at Home order for Nashville would be extended because of the data.

"May 1 is Friday and, as we've discussed, we'll probably extend the order for sometime," said Jahangir on Tuesday. "I don't have an answer for when that is and, and I have mentioned, we'll try to give everyone enough leadway to when that is."

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Lee Set to "Re-Open" Tennessee Even as COVID19 Nears Peak

While Sumner County has the third-highest number of Coronavirus cases in Tennessee and the second-highest number of deaths, Gov. Bill Lee today announced plans to "re-open" Tennessee in 89 of 95 counties, including Sumner, by May 1st.

Here's his announcement:

Today, Governor Bill Lee announced the order for Tennesseans to remain at home will expire April 30, with the vast majority of businesses in 89 counties allowed to re-open on May 1.

“Our Economic Recovery Group is working with industry leaders around the clock so that some businesses can open as soon as Monday, April 27,” said Gov. Lee. “These businesses will open according to specific guidance that we will provide in accordance with state and national experts in both medicine and business.”

The Lee Administration will work with Shelby, Madison, Davidson, Hamilton, Knox and Sullivan counties and their health departments as they plan their own re-open strategies.

“While I am not extending the safer at home order past the end of April, we are working directly with our major metropolitan areas to ensure they are in a position to reopen as soon and safely as possible,” said Lee. “Social distancing works, and as we open up our economy it will be more important than ever that we keep social distancing as lives and livelihoods depend on it.”

The Economic Recovery Group (ERG), composed of 30 leaders from the public and private sector is crafting guidance to assist businesses in a safe reopening. The industry representatives participating in the ERG collectively represent over 140,000 Tennessee businesses that employ over 2.5M Tennesseans. More information about ERG is available here.

Meanwhile, the Tennessee Department of Health indicates Sumner County is effectively a COVID-19 hotspot.

It's unclear whether Sumner County leaders, who challenged the Department of Health over the re-opening of Gallatin Healing and Rehab, will take on Gov. Lee and extend a Stay Home order for Sumner County well into May.

Officially, Sumner County Mayor Anthony Holt's "Safer at Home" Order ends on April 23rd.

For more on news impacting Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews

Sumner Schools CLOSED

After Governor Bill Lee recommended that Tennessee school districts close for the remainder of this school year, Sumner County Schools announced the district will follow the recommendation and close for this year. The Hendersonville Standard has more:

Sumner County schools will remain closed for the remainder of the school year, Director of Schools Dr. Del Phillips announced on Wednesday.

The announcement came shortly after Gov. Bill Lee recommended all school districts remain closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sumner County students last attended school on March 13.

“We are taking this proactive step to help keep our schools, students, families, employees and communities healthy and safe,” Phillips said in a statement.

Phillips added that the school district will continue providing instructional resources and assistance through Sumner Connect, a distance learning platform, until at least May 22 – the last scheduled instructional day.

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