Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter said do not be surprised if the reported COVID-19 case numbers lag behind the actual cases.
At his daily briefing Thursday, Porter said some health departments, especially in Metro Nashville, may report numbers before they are verified by the state. Individuals may also share a positive case report before it enters the state system.
“There are so many doctors offices, and clinics, and labs that are testing, there can be a lag time in getting those results into the state,” Porter said. “Will our numbers continue to go up? Probably, but that’s nothing we can predict.”
Porter said local leaders will be transparent in providing updates on the numbers. He and Cookeville Mayor Ricky Shelton again cautioned residents to be wary of rumors and innuendo on social media.