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BELOW IS AN ARCHIVE
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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.
Key Facts:
- 1,095 deaths from the novel coronavirus in Georgia. This is an increase of 16 from Tuesday evening. There were 942 deaths reported at noon on Monday.
- 25,634 confirmed cases across the state, an increase of 430 from the count last night.
- Statewide shelter-in-place order will expire on April 30
- All public schools in Georgia closed through the end of the school year
- Public Health Emergency remains in effect until May 13
*Editor's Note: a previous headline and alert for this story reported there were just under 2,000 deaths in Georgia. That count was incorrect. This story has been corrected.
Wednesday, April 29
Returning to classrooms this fall remains a possibility for Fulton County students
Parents are sharing different experiences with remote learning from district to district, but Fulton County Schools Superintendent Dr. Mike Looney said they’ve been doing their best to serve all students.
Looney said a challenge with the pandemic has been some of the unknowns with what lies ahead, so the district has to be prepared for all scenarios. But, what Looney does know, is they’ve improved their ability to do remote learning.
The CDC issued guidelines for schools to reopen, which Dr. Looney said is possible for Fulton County in the fall. But, admitted there are also different phases the district would have to go through before reopening.
VA still using controversial drug on Georgia veterans with COVID-19 despite FDA warning
he U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has been under scrutiny after news broke that research by the administration found a controversial drug it was using to treat COVID-19 might not be as effective as previously suggested by President Donald Trump, who once called it a potential game-changer in the treatment of COVID-19.
As a result, the department tells 11Alive, it is still using hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 veteran patients in its facilities, including those in Georgia, under "FDA guidance.” The same FDA that warned, just last week, that the drug could cause "serious heart-related adverse events and death in patients with COVID-19."
25,634 confirmed Covid-19 cases with 1,095 deaths
The Georgia Department of Health announced new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday. As of 7 p.m., there are 25,634 confirmed cases of the virus in Georgia, an increase of 360 cases since noon. There are now also 1,095 deaths being reported, up from 1,052 deaths listed in the noon update.
There are now more than 2,700 cases of the virus in Fulton County.
There are more than 5,000 hospitalizations from the virus statewide.
Below is the county-by-county breakdown.
County - Cases - Deaths
Fulton 2766 114
DeKalb 1965 46
Gwinnett 1720 55
Cobb 1568 87
Dougherty 1497 119
Hall 1239 20
Clayton 691 26
Henry 492 12
Cherokee 456 11
Richmond 389 14
Sumter 378 28
Carroll 346 14
Lee 314 20
Douglas 311 11
Bartow 308 30
Mitchell 304 30
Bibb 300 9
Muscogee 294 7
Forsyth 287 9
Chatham 221 9
Habersham 221 7
Houston 219 13
Early 214 21
Upson 211 17
Baldwin 210 8
Spalding 205 9
Coweta 195 4
Newton 188 7
Colquitt 181 6
Rockdale 178 6
Thomas 178 19
Terrell 177 18
Paulding 175 8
Fayette 174 10
Crisp 163 3
Randolph 159 19
Columbia 155 4
Lowndes 152 4
Worth 149 10
Troup 145 4
Clarke 144 13
Floyd 139 11
Butts 134 4
Barrow 131 4
Coffee 127 6
Dooly 122 9
Walton 120 3
Ware 115 10
Tift 110 5
Calhoun 90 4
Gordon 89 12
Wilcox 88 9
Burke 84 3
Jackson 84 1
Decatur 80 1
Whitfield 79 4
Macon 74 3
Stephens 72 1
Turner 67 8
Appling 65 6
Gilmer 64 0
Grady 63 3
Walker 60 0
Dawson 59 1
Harris 59 2
Oconee 59 0
White 58 0
Polk 56 0
Brooks 55 6
Glynn 55 1
Greene 54 2
Laurens 54 1
Meriwether 54 1
Pierce 54 3
Bryan 51 2
Oglethorpe 49 3
Catoosa 46 0
Peach 45 2
McDuffie 44 4
Marion 41 1
Hancock 40 1
Johnson 39 2
Lumpkin 39 2
Pike 39 2
Washington 38 1
Lamar 37 2
Putnam 37 5
Liberty 36 0
Bulloch 35 2
Effingham 34 1
Wilkinson 34 2
Union 33 1
Camden 31 1
Miller 31 0
Seminole 30 2
Murray 29 0
Toombs 29 3
Fannin 28 1
Haralson 28 1
Jones 28 0
Morgan 28 0
Pulaski 27 1
Pickens 26 2
Ben Hill 25 0
Dodge 25 1
Telfair 25 0
Madison 24 1
Talbot 24 1
Wilkes 24 0
Monroe 23 3
Stewart 23 0
Bacon 22 1
Brantley 22 2
Cook 22 1
Elbert 22 0
Jasper 22 0
Baker 21 2
Clay 21 2
Emanuel 21 0
Towns 21 1
Banks 20 0
Berrien 18 0
Franklin 17 0
Taylor 17 2
Chattooga 16 2
Jenkins 16 1
Schley 16 1
Crawford 15 0
Irwin 15 1
Jeff Davis 15 1
Screven 15 1
Dade 14 1
Jefferson 14 1
Bleckley 12 0
Lincoln 12 0
Rabun 12 0
Warren 12 0
Wayne 12 0
Chattahoochee 11 0
Hart 10 0
Tattnall 10 0
Webster 10 2
Heard 9 1
Charlton 8 0
Clinch 8 0
Lanier 8 1
Twiggs 8 0
Atkinson 7 1
Candler 7 0
Echols 5 0
Evans 4 0
Long 4 0
McIntosh 4 0
Quitman 4 1
Wheeler 4 0
Treutlen 3 0
Montgomery 2 0
Unknown 485 0
Forsyth County Sheriff's Office confirms 9 employees have COVID-19
On Wednesday evening, Forsyth County Sheriff Ron Freeman announced on Facebook that nine employees had tested positive for the coronavirus.
Sheriff Freeman went on to explain that eight of the nine employees were contained in a small work group, working from their home or office.
"We confident we have contained the outbreak," Freeman said. "This small work unit has had no interaction with the public."
The sheriff explained that the agency has done extensive testing on any employees that came into contact with the individuals that tested positive, and all other employees have tested negative for the virus.
Georgia front-line workers able to utilize a N95 mask up to 20 times - here's how
A series of shipping containers nestled inside an undisclosed Atlanta building may hold the key to solving Georgia’s N95 mask shortage.
On Monday, Gov. Brian Kemp announced a new system, able to decontaminate up to 80,000 masks at a time. The system, created by the non-profit research organization Battelle Memorial Institute, were tested on Tuesday and ready to start receiving masks on Wednesday.
Battelle has a long history working with the US military and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to combat chemical and biological hazards. It started research on how to decontaminate personal protective gear in 2002 and responded to an FDA request for how to clean and reuse N95 masks during a respiratory pandemic in 2015.
But it wasn’t until a family doctor in Ohio alerted her husband last month to the potential shortage of masks, that he remembered the research project. Building off that knowledge, Battelle was able in nine days to create a working system that would treat thousands of masks with a pressurized vapor of hydrogen peroxide.
Recent studies point to obesity as a risk factor for COVID-19 hospitalizations
Recent studies point to obesity as a risk factor for COVID-19 hospitalizations in the U.S., a significant finding as our nation has one of the highest obesity rates in the world.
A new CDC report breaks down the number of adults hospitalized with COVID-19 at eight different hospitals in Georgia. Nearly 40 percent have diabetes, 12.7 percent have severe obesity, those with hypertension are at 67.5 percent. Those with some type of cardiovascular disease are at 25.6 percent.
The report also shows one in four did not have a high risk condition, yet are hospitalized with the virus.
"Just because you're healthy, doesn't mean you're guaranteed safety against COVID-19," Dr. Sujatha Reddy, 11Alive's medical correspondent, said.
Appointments still available for testing on Friday in Conyers
On Friday, May 1, Gwinnett, Newton & Rockdale County Health Departments will return to Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers, opening a large appointment-only COVID-19 test site for one day.
Limited appointments are still available, they said, by calling 770-513-5631 for anyone who thinks they may be ill with COVID-19.
Testing is also available, regardless of whether individuals currently have symptoms, to healthcare workers, first responders, and other critical infrastructure workers exposed to COVID-19, or residents of a long-term care facilities or other group residential settings experiencing an outbreak of COVID-19.
Atlanta-based UPS expands 'drone airline' route to deliver prescriptions
UPS is sending its drone airline on a new route in the battle against Covid-19.
United Parcel Service Inc. said its subsidiary UPS Flight Forward will use drones to deliver prescription medicine from a CVS pharmacy to The Villages retirement community, home to more than 135,000 residents in south Florida.
The Atlanta-based logistics giant said its Matternet M2 quadcopter will start flying a less than one-half mile service to an area near The Villages in early May. Initially, a ground vehicle will complete the delivery to the resident’s door.
“Our new drone delivery service will help CVS provide safe and efficient deliveries of medicines to this large retirement community, enabling residents to receive medications without leaving their homes,” said Scott Price, UPS chief strategy and transformation officer, in a news release.
Read the full story on the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
Douglasville to reopen some facilities
The City of Douglasville said they'd begin to reopen some facilities to the public on May 4.
Opening are the main entrance to City Hall, allowing residents to make payments, public access to the atrium of the public safety building, allowing residents to access the records department and courts division. The Douglasville Welcome Center will reopen to the public with access from O’Neal Plaza.
They said court hearings will begin on May 20.
Hunter Park facilities will remain closed due to COVID-19 testing for Cobb & Douglas Public Health. Citizens can walk on walking trails and paths, but social distancing is required. This is to maintain the required health standards.
Rescheduled Atlanta NASCAR race confirmed for June 7
An industry source has confirmed to 11Alive Sports the rescheduled June 7 date for Atlanta's NASCAR race.
NASCAR is set to begin staging races again - without fans - in mid-May, according to a schedule first reported by The Athletic Tuesday.
The Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 was originally scheduled for March 15 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, before the coronavirus pandemic resulted in its postponement.
The series initially was going to try and still stage the race that day without fans before closures and event cancellations swept the nation, with NASCAR ultimately following suit.
The revised schedule will see NASCAR return to action on May 17 in Darlington, South Carolina, and hold races every Sunday and Wednesday until Miami on June 14.
Fulton County ramps up coronavirus testing with neighborhood walk-up testing
Fulton County says it will continue to ramp up testing by introducing neighborhood testing sites.
New neighborhood locations will allow people to simply walk-up to receive testing, without needing to have a car. The McGhee Tennis Center in Southwest Atlanta is an example of sites that begin to pop up across the county to test people for coronavirus symptoms.
In an effort to protect the staff and people, the organization asks that people do the nasal swabs themselves. Workers are also encouraged to wear masks.
Health officials said hey have one goal in mind - make testing easier to receive for a community that needs it.
Confirmed cases stand at 25,274 with 1,052 deaths
The Georgia Department of Health announced new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday. As of Noon, there are 25,274 confirmed cases of the virus and 1,052 deaths reported. This is an increase of 430 confirmed cases and 16 deaths that they announced on Tuesday evening.
Of the 25,274 confirmed cases, 2763 are in Fulton, 1912 are in DeKalb, 1498 are in Dougherty, 1543 are in Cobb and 1666 are in Gwinnett. For a breakdown by county, view the 11Alive interactive map.
They said 4,948 patients are hospitalized with COVID-19.
COUNTY - CASES - DEATHS
Fulton 2763 108
DeKalb 1912 44
Gwinnett 1666 54
Cobb 1543 81
Dougherty 1498 120
Hall 1203 16
Clayton 682 24
Unknown 564 2
Henry 489 11
Cherokee 435 11
Richmond 385 14
Sumter 372 27
Carroll 343 13
Lee 313 20
Bartow 306 30
Douglas 304 11
Mitchell 300 30
Bibb 295 8
Muscogee 290 6
Forsyth 286 9
Chatham 221 7
Houston 218 13
Habersham 214 7
Early 209 21
Upson 209 17
Baldwin 205 6
Spalding 201 9
Coweta 191 4
Newton 184 7
Colquitt 182 6
Rockdale 176 6
Paulding 173 7
Thomas 173 17
Terrell 172 18
Fayette 171 9
Crisp 160 3
Randolph 158 19
Columbia 151 3
Lowndes 146 4
Worth 146 9
Clarke 143 13
Troup 141 4
Floyd 138 11
Butts 130 3
Barrow 127 4
Coffee 123 4
Dooly 120 8
Ware 114 10
Walton 113 3
Tift 101 5
Calhoun 90 4
Wilcox 89 9
Gordon 86 12
Jackson 82 1
Whitfield 76 4
Macon 75 3
Burke 73 3
Stephens 71 1
Turner 67 8
Appling 65 5
Dawson 59 1
Oconee 59 0
Grady 58 3
Harris 58 2
Walker 58 0
Decatur 57 1
Gilmer 57 0
White 57 0
Glynn 55 1
Laurens 54 1
Pierce 54 3
Meriwether 53 1
Polk 53 0
Brooks 52 6
Greene 52 2
Bryan 50 2
Oglethorpe 48 3
Catoosa 47 0
Peach 45 2
McDuffie 44 4
Marion 42 1
Hancock 39 1
Johnson 39 2
Pike 39 2
Lumpkin 38 1
Putnam 37 5
Washington 37 1
Liberty 36 0
Bulloch 35 2
Lamar 35 2
Effingham 34 1
Union 34 1
Wilkinson 34 2
Camden 31 1
Miller 31 0
Seminole 30 2
Haralson 28 1
Jones 28 0
Toombs 28 3
Fannin 27 1
Murray 27 0
Dodge 26 1
Pickens 26 2
Ben Hill 25 0
Morgan 25 0
Pulaski 25 1
Telfair 25 0
Madison 24 1
Wilkes 24 0
Bacon 22 1
Brantley 22 2
Cook 22 1
Elbert 22 0
Jasper 22 0
Monroe 22 1
Stewart 22 0
Talbot 22 1
Baker 21 2
Clay 21 2
Emanuel 21 0
Towns 21 1
Banks 18 0
Berrien 18 0
Franklin 17 0
Chattooga 16 1
Jenkins 16 1
Schley 16 1
Taylor 16 2
Crawford 15 0
Irwin 15 1
Jeff Davis 15 1
Screven 15 1
Dade 14 1
Jefferson 14 1
Bleckley 12 0
Lincoln 12 0
Rabun 12 1
Warren 12 0
Wayne 12 0
Chattahoochee 11 0
Webster 10 2
Charlton 9 0
Hart 9 0
Heard 9 1
Clinch 8 0
Lanier 8 1
Tattnall 8 0
Atkinson 7 0
Candler 7 0
Twiggs 7 0
Echols 5 0
Quitman 5 1
Evans 4 0
Long 4 0
McIntosh 4 0
Wheeler 4 0
Treutlen 3 0
Montgomery 2 0
Glascock 0 0
Taliaferro 0 0
Things to know this morning
- Health officials in Hall County say they are trying to stanch an uptick in COVID-19 cases.
- A COVID-19 simulator predicts a second wave of cases in Georgia this summer based on easing restrictions.
- Simon Property Group, the largest mall owner in the United States, is beginning to reopen several properties as soon as Friday, according to a report from CNBC.
- Gov. Kemp says today is lowest day for ventilator use
- Ponce City Market targeting a mid-May reopening
- State reports record testing day
- Atlanta Jazz Festival postponed
- Six Flags donates 2,000 superhero capes to Publix, Kroger associates
- As Georgia releases more COVID-19 data, earliest cases now stretch back to January
OTHER CORONAVIRUS HEADLINES: