MEMPHIS, Tenn. — State and local health officials said Thursday that Shelby County has its second confirmed coronavirus case.
The Tennessee Department of Health confirmed the county’s second case around 2 p.m. Thursday.
Alisa Haushalter, director of the Shelby County Health Department, said the second patient had traveled to New Orleans with the first patient to celebrate Mardi Gras. The two continued to have contact when they returned to Shelby County.
It is not known if both patients contracted the virus there, or if one contracted it in New Orleans and passed it to the second person later.
Both patients are adults over 40, health officials said. The first patient was hospitalized while the second was isolated.
The state of Tennessee now has 18 confirmed coronavirus cases, up from nine cases a day ago. Gov. Bill Lee declared a state of emergency earlier Thursday.
Six cases have been confirmed in Davidson County, one in Knox County, one in Sullivan County and eight in Williamson County.
This story is developing.
