The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a pandemic. Reported illnesses range from very mild to severe, including death. Agencies anticipate widespread transmission will occur in the U.S. in coming months and recommend social distancing among other measures to slow the spread. Call your doctor and stay home if you are sick. Get more information at CDC.gov/coronavirus or contact the Tennessee Department of Health coronavirus information line at 877-857-2945 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. CT daily. Knox News is making this coverage of the coronavirus available to all readers, including nonsubscribers, to help people stay safe.

A Chattanooga priest who has tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, may have inadvertently exposed others when he officiated a wedding, served communion and led a staff meeting, his church announced Saturday.

Father Brad Whitaker, rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Chattanooga, fell ill shortly after returning from a conference held by the Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes, the church said in a statement. At least six people who attended the conference, which ran from Feb. 19-22 in Louisville, Kentucky, have since tested positive for COVID-19, according to the consortium.

In the weeks after returning from the conference, Whitaker appeared at several events and potentially exposed hundreds of people to the virus. His church released the following timeline of his public appearances:

Officiated a small family burial the morning of Saturday, Feb. 22

Officiated a wedding the evening of Saturday, Feb. 22

Attended the 8 a.m. Eucharist on Sunday, Feb. 23 and served communion

Celebrated the 10:30 a.m. Eucharist on Sunday, Feb. 23 and served communion

Led a staff meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 27

Celebrated the 12:05 p.m. Eucharist on Monday, March 2

Attended the first Thorne Sparkman lecture on Wednesday, March 4

The Chattanooga Times Free Press reported that, while serving communion Feb. 22, Whitaker shook hands with some 150 people, and that he appeared later that day at a benefit concert attended by about 75 people. The paper also reported Whitaker led a Feb. 28 memorial service for the Chattanooga Bar Association, which notified the 800 attorneys who count themselves members that they may have been exposed.

In an email to church members, Whitaker said he initially thought he had a cold and sinus infection, but that his illness developed into pneumonia around March 1. He stayed home and tested positive for COVID-19 after learning an attendee of the conference in Louisville had tested positive as well, according to the church.

On Saturday, Whitaker said he is feeling well, the Times Free Press reported.

The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health issued a news release Saturday alerting residents they may have been exposed to the new virus if they attended an event at St. Paul's Episcopal Church between Feb. 23 and March 13.

"If it has been more than 14 days since you were at the church your risk for coronavirus is very low," the release stated. "However, if you have had respiratory symptoms including fever, cough and/or difficulty breathing within that 14 day period, please call the Health Department hotline at 423-209-8383.

"If it has been less than 14 days and you had close contact with the case such as being within 6 feet of the case for more than 15 minutes and you are symptom free; you should self-quarantine at home and monitor your health," it continued. "The following are guidelines for self-quarantine: Stay home for 14 days from the time of your contact with a person ill with the 2019 novel coronavirus."

The Tennessee Department of Health reported 32 cases of COVID-19 across the state Saturday afternoon. Whitaker remained the only case detected in Hamilton County.

Meanwhile, the health department in Hamilton County reported it had performed five tests for the disease, four of which came back negative.

St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Chattanooga has suspended worship services and other public meetings for at least the next two weeks while officials work to sanitize the facility.

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a slew of closures and cancellations across East Tennessee and beyond as health experts recommend people keep their distance from one another to avoid getting sick.

The virus — which had sickened more than 140,000 people and killed more than 5,300 as of Saturday, according to the World Health Organization — is thought to spread mainly through droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus also can remain on surfaces, be transferred through touch and enter the body through the eyes, nose or mouth.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges people to cover their coughs and sneezes, regularly disinfect surfaces, thoroughly wash their hands and stay home if sick.

Reach Travis Dorman at travis.dorman@knoxnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @travdorman.