MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee's largest county reported its largest daily increase in COVID-19 cases Tuesday, as health officials expressed concern about people with coronavirus symptoms who continue to socialize with friends, eat at restaurants and work out at gyms.

At the same time, Republican Gov. Bill Lee told reporters he has no plans to hand down a statewide mask mandate or business restrictions ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

“Let me just say, we’re not going to mandate how a family gathers at Thanksgiving. I want to be real clear about that,” Lee said during his weekly virus news briefing. “But what we will do is encourage Tennesseans to think hard about that.”

Shelby County's health department reported 835 additional cases of the coronavirus Tuesday, the highest daily jump since July. The increase brings the case total for the county that includes Memphis to more than 43,000. Tennessee's health department reported Tuesday afternoon that three more people have died from the virus in the county, bringing total deaths in the county to at least 616.

As of Monday afternoon, 389 virus patients were in hospitals around the county, said David Sweat, the county's chief of epidemiology. Hospitals are reporting worker fatigue. Officials said 92% of acute care beds and 89% of intensive care beds were filled in the county, which is the most populous in Tennessee.

Health department director Alisa Haushalter said local hospitals are having trouble finding nurses, as a national surge in cases has limited the number of nurses that can be recruited from other parts of the country.

“We're particularly concerned about hospital capacity as we get into the holiday season,” Haushalter said, adding that hospital workers need to push through fatigue and “prepare for the rest of the battle.”

Sweat said cases have sprung from instances where the virus can spread among a group of people, such as social gatherings with friends and relatives, eating at restaurants and working out at gyms.

Officials have found that people with virus symptoms are still going about their daily activities, such as going to work, for one to three days without getting tested, Haushalter said.

“Individuals continue to minimize their symptoms,” Haushalter said. “If you're sick at all, even very minor symptoms, please go get tested and stay home.”

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris said leaders of 21 West Tennessee counties were scheduled to meet this week to encourage mask-wearing. Officials have recommended limiting travel to counties where mask mandates are not in place.

Shelby County hospitals receive virus patients from neighboring counties, which adds strain to the county's system.

“Throughout Tennessee, COVID patients account for 20% of all inpatient beds and 30% of all ICU beds,” said state Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey. “Their ability to maintain available beds for all conditions, not just COVID, is not unlimited.”

Piercey said the state's medical staffers are becoming overextended, but noted a recent executive order allowing medical staffers more flexibility to address hospital capacity strain was helping the situation.

Meanwhile, Lee said urging the public to take personal responsibility is a better approach than issuing a statewide mandate.

“Wearing a mask is one of the most important personal decisions that people can make. I do believe that we have a strategy in this state to get heroes to encourage people to wear a mask,” Lee said.

Lee noted he would not hold his annual large family dinner for Thanksgiving amid concerns over the virus's spread. However, the governor defended holding a campaign fundraiser earlier this week where he was photographed not wearing a mask at times.

“Every gathering is different,” Lee said.

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Associated Press writer Kimberlee Kruesi contributed to this report from Nashville, Tennessee.

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Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.