Updated Thursday at 5:36 p.m.
State officials have confirmed the first death from COVID-19 in Georgia. So far, they’ve found more than 30 cases of the disease caused by the coronavirus around the state.
Gov. Brian Kemp and the Georgia Department of Public Health say the individual who died was a 67-year-old male with underlying medical conditions. They say he was hospitalized at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital since testing positive for COVID-19 on March 7.
“I know the medical professionals on site did everything that they could, and I greatly appreciate their efforts,” Kemp said in a statement. “As our state continues to address this pandemic, I urge Georgians to remain calm and support their neighbors and communities. We are in this fight together.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says older adults are more likely to get very sick from the coronavirus. So too are people with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.
Georgia health officials have detected 31 cases of COVID-19 in 12 counties. 19 of those cases are presumed positive based on state-level testing. 12 have been confirmed, which means the CDC has backed-up Georgia’s test results.
General Assembly Suspends Session
Citing concerns over the spread of the coronavirus, the Georgia General Assembly has decided to suspend its current session until further notice.
House Speaker David Ralston said some might call the decision to suspend an “overreaction”
“But I’d rather do it this way than to under-react,” he said. “And so that’s why we’re doing it this way. We will not be here for a few days. And hopefully, it won’t be long.”
The session will be gaveled into session briefly on Friday as a formality, but Ralston has encouraged lawmakers to leave town as soon as possible.
Ralston says legislative staff will continue to work remotely. There will be 11 days left in the 40-day session when lawmakers return.
Cobb Schools Are Closing
Cobb Schools are closing effective Monday and will move to online instruction.
The closures include all school building activities, athletics/sports, extracurricular school activities, and trips.
“In accordance with Governor [Brian] Kemp’s guidance today and to best prioritize student and staff safety, effective Monday, March 16th, Cobb Schools will be closed until further notice,” the system said in a statement.
Georgia’s Park Quarantine Has 1 Resident
Georgia has an initial solution for people who test positive for the novel coronavirus but can’t stay at home and don’t require hospitalization: An isolated corner of a state park, where mobile housing units have been set up.
So far, the lone resident of the quarantine at Hard Labor Creek State Park is a military veteran who cooked at a Waffle House northwest of Atlanta and doesn’t know how he contracted the illness.
“Every joint in my body hurt,” Joey Camp, 30, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I could not move a joint in my body from my ankles, up my back, arms — could not without sharp pain.”
Camp, who served in Afghanistan and is from Cartersville, was staying with a friend who has an infant son, so he volunteered to be isolated away from home.
He said he’s been spending his time at the park taking antibiotics, watching Star Wars films on his cell phone and eating chili dogs and other take-out meals left for him by state health officials.
Atlanta Mayor Stops Water Service Disconnections
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said residents with past-due water bills will not have their service shut off.
She’s ordered the water department to stop terminating service to customers with past due bills for the next 60 days.
The Mayor said this in direct response to COVID-19.
Health officials are urging everyone to wash their hands with soap and water regularly to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.
“No one should be deprived of this fundamental resource because of an inability to pay,” Bottoms said.
Emory Closes Dorms, Moves To Online Classes
Atlanta’s Emory University announced all dorms will soon be closed, and students will transition to online classes for the rest of the semester to curb the spread of coronavirus.
In a news release Wednesday night, Emory extended its spring break until March 22 to give students time to move out. Online classes are set to start the next day.
Emory is one of the first in Georgia to join a nationwide flurry of colleges and universities telling students to pack up and make alternative housing plans.
Emory officials say they are working on plans for students who need more technical support for online classes.
Coronavirus Case Confirmed At Cobb School
Cobb County School District officials say the Georgia Department of Public Health has informed them of a positive case of coronavirus at Kincaid Elementary School.
The school will be closed starting Thursday through the next 14 days.
While the school is closed, staff and cleaning crews will clean and sanitize the campus and buses.
No other Cobb school is closed at this time.
DeKalb Health Official: We’re Treating Presumed, Confirmed Cases The Same
DeKalb’s health director said she’s handling all cases of COVID-19 the same–regardless of whether they’re confirmed by state or federal testing.
Dr. Sandra Ford spoke at a virtual town hall Wednesday night.
“So far, all of our tests at the Georgia Public Health Lab that have been presumed positive have ended up being positive, so we are treating presumed positives in Georgia as if they actually had the disease,” she said.
Since last week, Georgia’s public health lab has been processing coronavirus tests on its own. It’s called any positives “presumptive” until they can be confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
State officials say they’ve found 4 “presumptive” COVID-19 cases in DeKalb County and 15 others elsewhere.
Georgia Supreme Court Halts Swearing-in Ceremonies, Tours
The Georgia high court has announced all swearing-in ceremonies of attorneys at the Georgia Supreme Court are being suspended except for special circumstances, and all public tours are being halted.
While the courthouse remains open to the public, officials are asking for only those directly involved in cases to attend sessions.
And for all others to view proceedings via live stream.
Chief Harold Justice Melton in a statement, said, “These steps – while inconvenient – are necessary at this time, and I believe are responsible actions.”
Humane Society: No Reported Cases Of Pets Contracting COVID-19
The Atlanta Humane Society says while there are no reported cases of dogs and cats contracting the coronavirus, pet owners should wash their hands before and after interacting with their pets.
Kate Mullaney, marketing coordinator with the Atlanta Humane Society, said there is no evidence pets can spread the virus.
But she says, pet owners will still want to have an emergency plan in place.
“You should always include your pet in any disaster planning and always be prepared to implement your pet’s emergency plan, which could include identifying a caregiver for your pet in times of emergency, keeping your pet up to date with vaccinations, and keeping updated medical paperwork on hand,” she said.
Mullaney said, at this point, not enough is understood about this specific coronavirus to say there is no risk to household pets.
