Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Georgia experienced a sharp increase in Coronavirus cases and deaths over the weekend, rising to 8,818 confirmed cases and 329 deaths as of Tuesday afternoon.

Decatur County sits at 17 confirmed cases and no deaths, as of Tuesday. At Memorial Hospital and Manor, 85 tests have been completed, yielding 14 positive results and 51 negative results. Twenty results are still pending. Other private healthcare providers have reported cases, as well.

An hour north in Albany, Coronavirus cases continue to skyrocket. As of Tuesday there have been 685 positive test results and 31 deaths reported at Phoebe Putney Hospital. The Georgia Department of Public Health is reporting even higher numbers from Dougherty County as a whole, with 939 confirmed cases and 52 deaths. Fulton County, a much more populous area, has reported 36 deaths, making Albany the hardest-hit community in the state.

As testing around the state increases, so will the confirmed cases. The Georgia Department of Public Health is calling on all Georgians to do their part to stop further spread of the deadly respiratory virus.

Stay home

The Governor has issued a shelter-in-place Executive Order that should be observed by all residents and visitors.

Practice social distancing

Keep at least 6 feet between yourself and other people.

Wash your hands

Use soap and water and scrub for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (60% alcohol) if soap and water aren’t readily available.

Wear a mask

The CDC now recommends the use of face masks to help slow the spread of COVID-19, especially where social distancing is difficult to maintain (grocery stores, pharmacies, etc.), and especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. The CDC also advises the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others (How to make your own cloth covering can be found on Page 7A of The Post-Searchlight).

“We know that increased testing means the number of positive cases will increase. But along with that, we are also seeing further spread of COVID-19 throughout Georgia,” said Kathleen E. Toomey, M.D., M.P.H., DPH commissioner. “We can stop the spread of COVID-19 in Georgia, but every Georgian must take personal responsibility now and follow the prevention guidance to keep this deadly virus from taking any more precious lives.”