White House Warns Tennesseans To Limit Gatherings To 'Immediate Household'
By Jason Hall
November 5, 2020
An unpublished report prepared for the White House Coronavirus Task Force urges Tennessee residents to limit gathering as the state continues to see rising cases of COVID-19.
The document, dated November 1, was obtained by ABC News and suggests Tennessee residents "stop gatherings beyond [their] immediate household" until the number of positive coronavirus tests "decrease significantly," WKRN reports.
The report provided to United States governors suggests Tennessee is among 38 states in the "red zone" for COVID-19 cases, which refers to states with more than 100 new cases per 100,000 residents from the previous week. The number of states in the "red zone" increased from 18 in July to 24 in October, WKRN reports.
Tennessee currently ranks 16th on the list with 263 new cases per 100,000 residents, which is 98 less than the national average of 165. North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin currently top the list of new cases per 100,000 residents.
Tennessee currently has a total of 95 counties in the "red zone," with Rutherford, Hamilton, Williamson, Sullivan and Washington counties topping the list, WKRN reports.
Here is a full list of the "red zone" counties in Tennessee per WKRN:
- Rutherford
- Hamilton
- Williamson
- Sullivan
- Washington
- Sumner
- Wilson
- Maury
- Putnam
- Dyer
- Sevier
- Greene
- Bradley
- Lawrence
- Tipton
- Carter
- Roane
- Fayette
- Obion
- Dickson
- Lauderdale
- Monroe
- Bedford
- Robertson
- Overton
- Cocke
- Loudon
- Crockett
- White
- Weakley
- Cheatham
- Lincoln
- Macon
- Fentress
- Marion
- Haywood
- Smith
- Lewis
- Rhea
- Johnson
- Unicoi
- Perry
- Grundy
- Grainger
- DeKalb
- Henderson
- Henry
- Hickman
- Bledsoe
- Humphreys
- Union
- Pickett
- Jackson
- Decatur
- Polk
- Cannon
- Stewart
- Trousdale
- Houston
- Meigs
- Moore
- Chester
- Van Buren
- Hancock
A total of 178 patients with confirmed COVID-19 and 105 patients with a suspected case of coronavirus were reportedly admitted each day to Tennessee hospitals during a span of October 24-30, according to the report via WKRN.
The White House Coronavirus Task Force acknowledged the high hospital admission levels in the report and said "there must be clear messaging to Tennesseans to act now."