November was the worst month yet for COVID-19 in Tennessee
Rachel WegnerNovember marked the worst month yet for Tennessee in the novel coronavirus pandemic.
It was the deadliest month on record for the state, with 1,249 deaths linked to COVID-19 reported by the Tennessee Department of Health. The previous record was 899, set in October.
November accounted for just over 27% of all COVID-19 deaths in Tennessee since the pandemic began.
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Tennessee also posted its highest-ever daily increase in COVID-19 cases on Nov. 30 at 7,975 cases. It marked the fourth time Tennessee broke that record in November alone.
The state noted a backlog in data to account for the then-record-breaking 5,919 new cases reported Nov. 9.
The surge in cases and deaths was also met with record-breaking hospitalizations in November. The spike in cases forced hospital systems in Memphis to pause elective procedures, as they did in March.
As of Nov. 30, a record 2,396 Tennesseans were actively hospitalized with COVID-19. The daily total of hospitalizations began a steady upward trend in early November.
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The number of hospital floor beds available across Tennessee sat at 14% at the end of the month, while just 9% of intensive care unit beds were open.
A cumulative total of 405,965 Tennesseans tested positive for COVID-19 by the end of November. That means roughly 6% of Tennesseans — or one in every 17 — have contracted the virus since the first case was identified in early March.
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Find reporter Rachel Wegner at rawegner@tennessean.com or on Twitter @rachelannwegner.