A 44-year-old Williamson County man and his household contacts remain quarantined at home after he tested positive for the Coronavirus.
This is the first confirmed case of the Coronavirus in Tennessee, according to state officials.
Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee and Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey announced the news at a press conference Thursday morning.
Lee and Piercey said they only learned this news Wednesday night.
“Tennessee Department of staff have been in contact with this patient, and I have also personally spoken with him. He is currently isolated at home with mild symptoms,” Piercey said.
“His household contacts are quarantined. They are at home and are in the process of being monitored and evaluated.”
Lee, meanwhile, urged Tennessee residents not to panic, adding Tennessee was one of the first states in the nation to start testing for the Coronavirus early.
“We continue to remain confident in our ability to prevent the spread of this infection now that it is in our state,” Lee said.
The governor also said that state officials are “in constant communication” with the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“As we’ve seen this week in Tennessee preparedness is critical, and I have full confidence in our preparedness plan we have put in place. I also have full confidence in the Department of Health and their strategy from this point forward and the preparation that was made prior to this point,” Lee said.
“While this is a serious situation, I urge Tennesseans to keep this illness in perspective. The vast majority of cases are mild and manageable.”
Piercey said that at this time the overall risk to the general public remains low.
Piercey asked state residents to take the following precautions:
• Wash hands often with soap and water and use alcohol based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough and sneeze.
• Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Stay home if you are sick.
• Avoid close contact with those who may be sick.
“Most patients with this have a mild respiratory illness including fever, cough, and shortness of breath and do not require hospitalization,” Piercey said.
“However, a smaller number of patients can have severe symptoms that do require hospitalization, particularly among the elderly and those with chronic medical conditions.”
Piercey said people wanting more information may visit tn.gov/health.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
