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Coronavirus in Georgia on April 1

At 11Alive News, our coverage of the coronavirus is rooted in Facts, not Fear. Here is the impact it is having on April 1 in Georgia.

Here is the latest on the coronavirus for April 2nd

Below is an archive for April 1

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At 11Alive News, our coverage of the coronavirus is rooted in Facts, not Fear. Visit the 11Alive coronavirus page for comprehensive coverage, find out what you need to know about Georgia specifically, learn more about the symptoms, and keep tabs on the cases around the world here. Have a question? Text it to us at 404-885-7600.

State and federal officials with the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are continually monitoring the spread of the virus. They are also working hand-in-hand with the World Health Organization to track the spread around the world and to stop it.

We will continue to track the most important coronavirus elements relating to Georgia on this page. Refresh often for new information.

Key Facts: 

Wednesday, April 1 

154 dead as COVID-19 cases jumps to more than 4,700

The number of cases of coronavirus in the state has grown again to 4,748. There are now 154 people dead from the virus with another 1,013 people hospitalized.

Fulton County continues to lead with the most cases in the state, with 638 cases reported and 20 deaths. However, the virus is not showing signs of slowing in hard-hit Dougherty County, where there are now 490 cases and 29 deaths being reported. 

Both DeKalb and Cobb have also crossed a grim threshold, with each county now reporting more than 300 cases each. Gwinnett County has more than 250 cases. Meanwhile, Bartow, Carroll and Clayton counties are each reporting more than 100 cases. 

County - Cases - Deaths

Fulton    638    20
Dougherty    490    29
DeKalb    373    5
Cobb    304    15
Gwinnett    257    6
Bartow    147    4
Carroll    133    2
Clayton    128    5
Henry    95    2
Lee    94    7
Cherokee    85    4
Hall    71    0
Floyd    70    2
Douglas    56    2
Clarke    54    7
Forsyth    50    1
Fayette    48    4
Rockdale    47    2
Terrell    46    2
Houston    44    5
Coweta    42    2
Richmond    41    0
Chatham    39    2
Mitchell    39    1
Sumter    38    3
Early    34    1
Newton    34    0
Paulding    33    0
Tift    28    0
Worth    28    1
Columbia    24    0
Lowndes    24    1
Bibb    23    1
Muscogee    22    0
Colquitt    21    1
Barrow    20    2
Crisp    19    0
Glynn    19    0
Troup    19    1
Gordon    18    1
Oconee    17    0
Spalding    17    1
Polk    16    0
Laurens    14    0
Thomas    14    0
Whitfield    14    1
Walton    13    0
Ware    12    2
Dawson    11    0
Calhoun    10    1
Dooly    10    0
Jackson    10    0
Bryan    9    1
Coffee    9    0
Burke    8    0
Butts    8    0
Decatur    8    0
Greene    8    0
Baldwin    7    1
Liberty    7    0
Lumpkin    7    0
Meriwether    7    0
Peach    7    1
Pickens    7    1
Pierce    7    0
Bacon    6    0
Fannin    6   0
Haralson    6    0
Monroe    6    0
Upson    6    0
Camden    5    0
Clay    5    0
Effingham    5    0
Franklin    5    0
Irwin    5    0
Murray    5    0
Seminole    5    0
Stephens    5    0
Turner    5    0
Baker    4    1
Catoosa    4    0
Jones    4    0
Lamar    4    0
Lincoln    4    0
Miller    4    0
Pulaski    4    0
Randolph    4    0
Schley    4    0
Warren    4    0
Washington    4    0
Banks    3    0
Ben Hill    3    0
Chattooga    3    0
Dodge    3    0
Harris    3    0
Hart    3    0
Macon    3    0
Madison    3    1
Mcduffie    3    0
Toombs    3    0
White    3    0
Berrien    2    0
Brooks    2    0
Bulloch    2    0
Chattahoochee    2    0
Grady    2    0
Habersham    2    0
Heard    2    1
Jasper    2    0
Jefferson    2    0
Morgan    2    0
Pike    2    0
Rabun    2    0
Screven    2    0
Tattnall    2    0
Taylor    2    0
Twiggs    2    0
Walker    2    0
Wilkes    2    0
Appling    1    0
Bleckley    1    0
Candler    1    0
Charlton    1    0
Clinch    1    0
Cook    1    0
Dade    1    0
Emanuel    1    0
Gilmer    1    0
Jenkins    1    0
Johnson    1    0
Lanier    1    0
Long    1    0
Mcintosh    1    0
Oglethorpe    1    0
Putnam    1    0
Stewart    1    0
Talbot    1    0
Union    1    0
Webster    1    0
Wheeler    1    0
Wilcox    1    0
Wilkinson    1    0
Unknown    485    1

Gov. Brian Kemp to sign statewide-shelter-in-place order, will keep K-12 schools in online learning through end of year

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said he plans to sign two orders. The first will require all residents to shelter-in-place from Friday, April 3 through April 13. He also will sign an order closing all K-12 public schools through the end of the year.

Essential businesses, he said, will remain open and that the order will be presented to the public on Thursday. 

The move comes as the statewide - and nationwide - fight to gain control on the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus intensifies. 

"Tomorrow, I will sign a statewide shelter-in-place order which will go into effect on Friday and run through April 13, 2020," Kemp said. "This date is in line with our public health emergency order."

He said online learning will continue for K-12 students. 

"I want to thank all of the educators and superintendents who that stayed in touch with us through this process to make the best of a tough situation," he said. 

Watch Kemp discuss the shelter-in-place order:

Watch as Kemp announces all K-12 schools will remain in online learning through the end of the year:

Gov. Brian Kemp to update state's COVID-19 response 

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, the Dept. of Public Health (DPH), Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA), and the Georgia Guard are providing an update to the state's COVID-19 response at 4 p.m.

Kemp will be joined by Georgia DPH Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey, Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency Director Homer Bryson, and Georgia National Guard Adjutant General Tom Carden from the Georgia State Capitol.

WATCH: Gov. Kemp, state officials provide COVID-19 response update

All Fulton County residents ordered to shelter in place, violators can face fines and/or jail

While many cities within the county are already under orders to stay at home, the Fulton County Board of Commissioners are now ordering all residents in the county to shelter in place

The order says resident are only allowed to leave "to provide, receive, or engage in essential services or activities." The order also permits those who work for essential businesses and perform essential governmental functions to leave their place of residence. The order will go into effect immediately.

As of Noon on Wednesday, the Georgia Department of Public Health is reporting more than 600 confirmed cases of the virus in Fulton - the most of any county in the state. Already, 19 people have died in the county. 

S. Elizabeth Ford, M.D., M.B.A, Interim District Health Director of the Fulton County Board of Health issued the Administrative Order for Public Health Control Measures Related to COVID-19 during the Fulton County Board of Commissioners Meeting on Wednesday. 

“It is my hope that this Administrative Order enhances our efforts to keep Fulton County residents safe, and assists in flattening the COVID-19 curve,” Ford said.

They said violations of this order will constitute a misdemeanor and "subject the violator to penalties and fines of up to $1,000 and/or up to 12 months in jail per offense."

FULL STORY: Fulton County issues shelter in place order; violators could get $1,000 fine or up to year in jail

Confirmed cases in Georgia climb to 4,638 with 139 deaths

The Georgia Department of Health announced new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday. As of Noon, there are 4,638 confirmed cases of the virus and 139 deaths reported. This is up from the 4,117 confirmed cases and 125 deaths that they announced on Tuesday evening.

Of the 4,638 confirmed cases, 624 are in Fulton, 480 are in Dougherty, 365 are in DeKalb, 293 are in Cobb and 250 are in Gwinnett. In all, there are cases reported in 139 counties (516 cases are listed as unknown counties). For a breakdown by county, view the 11Alive interactive map.

They said 952 patients are hospitalized with COVID-19.

Of the confirmed cases, 1 percent are between the ages of 0-17, while 58 percent are 18-59 years old, 35 percent are over 60 and 6 percent are unknown. 51 percent are female, and 46 percent are male.

In total, 18,226 tests were conducted at commercial labs, reporting 4,281 positive cases. At the Department of Public Health Labratory, 2,100 tests were conducted with 357 positive results.

County - Cases - Deaths

Fulton    624    19
Dougherty    480    27
Dekalb    365    4
Cobb    293    15
Gwinnett    250    4
Bartow    144    4
Carroll    131    1
Clayton    122    3
Lee    94    7
Henry    90    2
Cherokee    83    4
Hall    69    0
Floyd    60    2
Douglas    55    2
Clarke    51    5
Fayette    48    4
Forsyth    48    1
Terrell    46    2
Rockdale    45    2
Coweta    42    2
Richmond    41    0
Mitchell    38    1
Sumter    37    2
Chatham    36    2
Houston    35    4
Early    34    1
Newton    32    0
Paulding    32    0
Worth    28    1
Columbia    24    0
Lowndes    24    1
Tift    24    0
Bibb    22    0
Muscogee    21    0
Barrow    20    2
Colquitt    20    1
Troup    19    1
Glynn    18    0
Gordon    18    1
Crisp    17    0
Oconee    17    0
Polk    16    0
Spalding    16    0
Laurens    14    0
Walton    12    0
Dawson    11    0
Thomas    11    0
Calhoun    10    1
Dooly    10    0
Ware    10    1
Whitfield    10    1
Coffee    9    0
Jackson    9    0
Bryan    8    1
Burke    8    0
Butts    8    0
Decatur    8    0
Greene    8    0
Lumpkin    7    0
Meriwether    7    0
Peach    7    1
Pickens    7    1
Bacon    6    0
Baldwin    6    1
Monroe    6    0
Seminole    6    0
Clay    5    0
Effingham    5    0
Fannin    5    0
Franklin    5    0
Haralson    5    0
Liberty    5    0
Murray    5    0
Pierce    5    0
Randolph    5    0
Stephens    5    0
Upson    5    0
Baker    4    1
Camden    4    0
Catoosa    4    0
Hart    4    0
Jones    4    0
Lamar    4    0
Lincoln    4    0
Miller    4    0
Pulaski    4    0
Schley    4    0
Turner    4    0
Warren    4    0
Washington    4    0
Banks    3    0
Ben Hill    3    0
Chattooga    3    0
Dodge    3    0
Harris    3    0
Heard    3    1
Irwin    3    0
Madison    3    1
Mcduffie    3    0
White    3    0
Berrien    2    0
Brooks    2    0
Bulloch    2    0
Chattahoochee    2    0
Habersham    2    0
Jasper    2    0
Jefferson    2    0
Macon    2    0
Morgan    2    0
Pike    2    0
Rabun    2    0
Screven    2    0
Tattnall    2    0
Taylor    2    0
Toombs    2    0
Twiggs    2    0
Walker    2    0
Wilkes    2    0
Wilkinson    2    0
Appling    1    0
Bleckley    1    0
Candler    1    0
Charlton    1    0
Clinch    1    0
Cook    1    0
Dade    1    0
Emanuel    1    0
Gilmer    1    0
Grady    1    0
Jenkins    1    0
Johnson    1    0
Long    1    0
Mcintosh    1    0
Oglethorpe    1    0
Stewart    1    0
Talbot    1    0
Webster    1    0
Wheeler    1    0
Wilcox    1    0
Unknown    516    2

Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency debunk social media post

The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency took to Facebook on Wednesday to let residents know that a post going around on social media was not accurate. 

"If you see this going around, rest assured that it is FALSE. There is NO national quarantine and that is NOT the purpose of the Stafford Act," they wrote. "If you're curious, you can read the Stafford Act at the link below."

LINK: Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act

Costco, Home Depot among stores limiting number of customers allowed inside at once

The Home Depot announced early Wednesday morning it would begin limiting the number of customers allowed into stores at one time, among a number of changes it says are being taken to deter high traffic and promote social distancing at stores.

In response to 11Alive asking for the exact number, the company said: "For most of our stores, the customer limit is 100 customers at a time. (For context, our stores average over 100,000 square feet sprawled across a single level, so this provides less than one person per 1000 square feet or about a seven-foot radius)."

Meanwhile, Costco says it will temporarily start limiting the number of people who can enter its stores. Starting Friday, only two people will be allowed in for every membership card that is presented, according to the company's website. That means parents who normally haul their whole family to the store may have to leave some of them at home. 

Cumming mayor rescinds social distance order just hours after signing it

Mayor Troy Brumbalow of Cumming wrote Wednesday around 3 a.m. that he would be rescinding the social distancing order that took effect at midnight.

The mayor writing that, "while the intent of the order was to protect the public from the spread of COVID-19, it is obvious that a large portion of our public doesn't want government mandating the recommendations of public health officials."

A portion of the social distancing order included the appointment of special policemen to help enforce the order. Under the city charter, the mayor can appoint special policemen during times of emergency.

FULL STORY: Cumming mayor rescinds social distance order just hours after signing it

Things to know Wednesday 

  • Atlanta Fire department monitoring firefighters' temperatures 
  • The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office says a second jail employee - a supervisor - has tested positive for COVID-19.
  • The Arbor Terrace at Cascade senior living facility confirms it is handling seven confirmed COVID-19 cases.
  • Atlanta Children's Shelter closed until April 24
  • Employee tests positive at Stewart Detention Center 
  • The city of East Point approved a fourth emergency ordinance this week.
  • Some prisoners may be released sooner than they expected amid the coronavirus outbreak and the state’s efforts to combat the virus.
  • US Rep. Doug Collins urges GDOT to loosen regulations, provide guidelines for truckers
  • Georgia National Guard to be deployed to nursing homes with COVID-19 cases 
  • Gov. Brian Kemp announced a laboratory surge capacity plan to quickly increase the availability of testing for COVID-19 in Georgia.
  • Georgia Tech clears out labs, to donate a truckload of PPE for healthcare workers 
  • Atlanta mayor announces hazard pay policy for 'front-line' city employees 

MORE CORONAVIRUS HEADLINES: 

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Things are closed, but this is what you can still do during the shutdown

Here's what state prisons, jails are doing to protect incarcerated people during coronavirus pandemic

An Army veteran on surviving isolation and loneliness

Georgia couple in quarantine ties knot in drive-by ceremony

Cute couple turns a classic hit into a COVID-19 parody

Georgia economy best able to withstand coronavirus crisis in US, according to analysis

Pregnancy and coronavirus: Here's what we know

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