NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Our latest update is available here: https://www.newschannel5.com/news/covid-19-1098-cases-confirmed-in-tennessee

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WEDNESDAY STORY: The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Tennessee has risen to 970.

NewsChannel 5 is keeping an independent count of cases in the state, using information from both the Tennessee Department of Health and local health agencies.

Davidson County continues to have the highest number of cases in the state at 293. Shelby County has the second highest number of cases at 198.

According to the state department of health, the labs notify local jurisdictions first, which leads to some local health departments reporting higher numbers. They took to social media explaining the discrepancy saying, "Laboratory reports of positive cases are reported to metro and local health departments as soon as results are available. State numbers are updated at 2 p."

Three Tennesseans have died from complications with the novel coronavirus and 53 have been hospitalized.

Metro and Tennessee health officials have warned the growing demand for testing is leading to a longer turnaround for results, which might create a false impression that the curve is beginning to flatten in the state.

In Davidson County, the health department only reported four more cases from Tuesday to Wednesday.

"I believe this is a function of results that have come into the department and does not represent the beginning of a downtrend of this virus," said Dr. Alex Jahangir, with the Metro Board of Health.

On Tuesday, Governor Bill Lee asked all public schools to remain closed until April 24. He will hold another update on the state's response to the coronavirus outbreak at 3 p.m.

Below is a breakdown of the cases, using numbers from both TDH and local health departments:



Anderson County - 3

Bedford County - 1

Blount County - 3

Bradley County - 3

Campbell County - 2

Carroll County - 3

Cheatham County - 7

Chester County - 1

Claiborne County - 1

Cocke County - 1

Cumberland County - 3

Davidson County - 293

DeKalb County - 1

Dickson County - 5

Dyer County - 2

Fayette County - 3

Franklin County - 1

Gibson County - 2

Greene County - 7

Grundy County - 1

Hamblen County - 2

Hamilton County - 15

Hardin County - 1

Hawkins County - 1

Houston County - 3

Jefferson County - 4

Knox County - 20

Lewis County - 1

Lincoln County - 1

Loudon County - 3

Madison County - 2

Marion County - 1

Maury County - 7

McMinn County - 2

Monroe County - 2

Montgomery County - 6

Overton County - 1

Perry County -1

Putnam County - 9

Roane County -1

Robertson County -15

Rutherford County - 19

Scott County - 1

Sevier County - 2

Shelby County - 198

Sullivan County - 2

Sumner County - 36

Tipton County - 6

Washington County - 7

White County - 1

Williamson County - 66

Wilson County - 10

Resident of another state/country: 100

Pending: 81

The confirmed age ranges of patients in Tennessee are: