Ballad Health Is Reporting An Increase In The Number Of Critically Ill Covid Patients. Ballad Chief Infection Prevention Officer Jamie Swift Said The Ba5 Variant Of The Virus Is Now The Dominant Strain And Is Extremely Contagious. However, Many Cases Are Mild Or Even Asymptomatic. Meanwhile, The Tennessee Department Of Health Covid Data Shows The Seven County Northeast Tennessee Region Recorded 20 New Covid Related Deaths. That Includes Eight In Sullivan County And Three Each In Greene, Johnson And Washington Counties.