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9 COVID-19 cases in Southeast Georgia among 1,387 statewide

1st coronavirus case reported in Ware County; 47 deaths reported in the state

A person is given a test for COVID-19 at a drive through testing location Wednesday, March 18, 2020, in Marietta, Ga. The testing is not open to the public people must be referred by the health department. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) (John Bazemore, Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

As the number of COVID-19 cases in Georgia rose to 1,387, the number of COVID-19 deaths in the state increased to 47 as of Wednesday evening, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Of the COVID-19 patients in Georgia, state data shows, 438 had been hospitalized -- nearly 32%.

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The first case of the coronavirus was reported Wednesday night in Ware County.

The number of coronavirus cases in Glynn County remained at five. On Tuesday afternoon, the number of reported coronavirus cases in Glynn County increased to five -- up one case from Monday afternoon.

At an emergency meeting Wednesday in response to the coronavirus, the Glynn County Board of Commissioners passed an executive order that all businesses deemed non-essential in the county be closed after 6 a.m. Thursday.

Camden, Charlton and Pierce counties each had one reported case of COVID-19.

THE LATEST | Coronavirus special section | Glynn County orders non-essential businesses to close | Voluntary curfew begins in Camden County

Three civilian employees at Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany in Dougherty County tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 48 hours, according to a Wednesday afternoon news release. Two employees have isolated within their homes and the third employee, who was not showing symptoms, has quarantined.

“As we progress through the challenges unique to COVID-19, we will compassionately care for our military and civilian workforce, their family members and others in the community by following protocols and preventative health guidelines,” the news release reads, in part.

According to the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, there have been 123 cases and seven deaths in Dougherty County, which has created capacity problems in Albany’s Phoebe Putney Health Care System. The state is working with them to increase capacity.

Dougherty County Commission Chairman Chris Cohilas asked the 90,000 members of the Southwest Georgia community to shelter-in-place, starting Saturday morning.

Metro Atlanta still accounts for the largest overall number of cases, with Fulton County reporting more than 204 infections.

Of those who have tested positive in Georgia as of noon Wednesday, 60% were between 18 and 59 years old, 36% were age 60 and up, 1% were age 17 or younger and 3% were of unknown age. Of the COVID-19 patients, 50% were female and 48% were male, with the gender unknown for the other 2%.

The state on Tuesday reported more than 1,000 cases after Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said Monday evening that he was issuing an executive order that will ban large gatherings across the state, close bars and nightclubs and order the medically fragile to shelter in place.

The order went into effect at noon Tuesday and will expire at noon on April 6.

Kemp also said the state has more than 23 referral-only testing sites that have been set up across the state to test residents for the coronavirus. The sites, which require a doctor’s note, are located in Brunswick, Savannah, Valdosta, Atlanta and other cities in the state.

For most people, the virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe complications such as pneumonia. The vast majority recover.


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