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Shelby County health experts update latest developments in their efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus after first confirmed death

Court cases will also be tweaked in April to limit contact

SHELBY COUNTY, Tennessee —

There are new developments about the first COVID-19 related death in Shelby County, as more people are testing positive for the virus.

The Shelby County Health Director, Dr. Alisa Haushalter, would only say the person who died was above the age of 60. Health experts also acknowledged they are preparing for worst case scenarios with temporary hospitals identified.

The Shelby County district attorney is also adjusting who will be heard in court next month and who will be in custody.

"Having a death in our community highlights that we all have to take action,” Dr. Haushalter said

Health experts said there’s a new sense of urgency, after the first death from the coronavirus in Shelby County.

"We only need to look to New York or New Orleans and see how exponentially this problem is growing,” Dr. Haushalter said.

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While Dr. Haushalter said the available ICU beds for area hospitals remain manageable, experts said a military field hospital could free up around 1,000 new beds in a worst case coronavirus scenario locally.

"The goal is to have those things available and ready before we have a surge, so that again we don't end up like New York where you need beds and they aren't available,” Dr. Haushalter said.

Health experts also confirmed six confirmed coronavirus cases from an assisted living facility in east Memphis. Two residents there tested positive at different times in recent weeks, prompting the Shelby County Health Department to test 22 additional residents and staff over the weekend. Four of those test results are still pending but to date there’s a total of six positive cases at the assisted living facility, five residents and one employee.

Monday, Local 24 News also learned that in order to limit court contact next month, Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich said jury trials won’t happen and prosecutors will only focus on cases involving violent offenses. Weirich said other low level, non-violent offenders are being released and charges for hundreds of others, like driving with a revoked license, are being dropped.

"If you get a letter from the DA saying your case has been dismissed, it's not a joke, we mean it, we are just trying to cut down on that foot traffic at 201 (Poplar),” Weirich said.

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris said Monday afternoon the county and its municipalities will continue to review their Safer at Home orders on a week by week basis - and at this point - aren’t ready to commit to social distancing requirements through April 30th, as recommended Sunday by the White House.

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