Canton Postponing Non-Essential Meetings Due To Coronavirus

CANTON, GA — As more cases of the new coronavirus increase in Georgia, including in Cherokee County, local officials are taking steps to protect citizens.

The City of Canton announced Wednesday that it is postponing all non-essential public meetings. The city council will continue to have its regular monthly meetings and meetings that are required due to ordinance processes will continue. Monthly meetings by city boards, commissions and authorities that are not required will be postponed for the next several weeks.

As of Wednesday morning, there are 16 presumed positive cases of the coronavirus, and six confirmed cases of the disease in Georgia, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Related: Interactive Map: Latest US Coronavirus Cases

"The City of Canton has been closely monitoring the recent reports and information on COVID 19, commonly referred to as coronavirus, over the last several weeks," the city said. "Like you, we have watched as this illness has moved into our country, our state and now our community. While the City is not the public health organization for our area, we have been working closely to learn more information from our public health partners with the North Georgia Health District, Georgia Department of Public Health, Centers for Disease Control and World Health Organization. This communication is not meant to alarm you, but to let you know that the City of Canton, like you, is working to prepare for the spread of illness over the coming weeks and months."

An employee of a Waffle House in Canton tested positive for coronavirus, Waffle House, Inc. said Tuesday.

WGCL-TV reported that the employee last worked March 1 at the restaurant, 1849 Marietta Highway in Canton. The station said the employee has been released from a hospital, and is now under quarantine.

WSB-TV said that 12 other employees who worked at the same Waffle House are now under self-quarantine until Saturday, and the restaurant is closed. So far, officials told WSB-TV that none of those employees have showed symptoms of the illness.

According to the Cherokee County School District on March 4, Living Science Home Studies, a Cherokee County private co-op school, was temporarily closed after a 15-year-old home-schooled student, who tested positive for coronavirus, had recently taken some classes at the facility.

Globally, more than 124,000 people have been infected and more than 4,500 people have died from the new coronavirus, Johns Hopkins reported Wednesday afternoon. Of that total, more than 80,000 confirmed cases are in China, while the entire United States has 1,135 confirmed cases as of Wednesday afternoon. There have been 32 deaths in the U.S. have been tied to the virus outbreak.

The city council agendas, including all documentation for each meeting, are available on the city’s website as well as a link to watch live meetings online or after a meeting in a recorded format.

The public can provide public comment on items on the agenda via email at TellUs@cantonga.gov.

"The health and safety of our citizens is always our top priority," Mayor Bill Grant said. "As in the past, we will rise to meet this challenge while continuing to move Canton forward. Our council's committee work will continue as we formulate a road map for the future, and we will communicate the latest information on the COVID-19 situation as well as others that may impact our great city and its citizens."

Under this short-term procedure, the Housing Forum scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday at the Canton Theatre is postponed. The city said it plans to roll out some information that would have been covered in that event via social media and the city website in the next week, and will continue working on its housing strategy, which includes issuing a contract for a comprehensive housing study at the March 19 council meeting.

Citizens have reached out to the city regarding concerns about utility services, particularly citizens in the senior population. There will not be a disruption to water or sewer services at any time, the city said.

"We have also been assured by our sanitation provider that services will continue as they are currently provided," the city said. "We encourage those residents and businesses that are part of the City of Canton utility system to take advantage of cost-free auto-drafts for bill payments or utilizing the drop box at City Hall for payments by check. Credit card payments are an additional option but do come with a convenience fee for the customer."

The Georgia Department of Public Health is awaiting confirmation tests from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on five additional presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 in Georgia. The additional cases are in Charlton County, Fulton County, and three in Cobb County. All but one individual (Fulton) are hospitalized. One of the Cobb presumptive positives has a travel history outside the country. The sources of the other infections are unknown.

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Confirmed cases and presumed positive cases of COVID-19, as of Wednesday morning, are broken down as follows:

6 Confirmed COVID-19 Cases

• Fulton County: 3
• Floyd County: 1
• Polk County: 1
• Cobb County: 1

16 Presumptive Positive COVID-19 Cases

• Fulton County: 3
• Cobb County: 6
• Fayette County: 1
• DeKalb County: 2
• Gwinnett County: 2
• Cherokee County: 1
• Charlton County: 1

The overall risk of COVID-19 to the public remains low, although elderly people and individuals with chronic medical conditions may have increased risk, the Georgia Department of Public Health said.

Gov. Brian Kemp said early Wednesday morning that seven emergency mobile units were deployed to Hard Labor Creek State Park in Morgan County. Coronavirus patients who aren't able to self-isolate have been sent to the park to stay.

The governor's office confirmed that the first patient, someone from Cherokee County who has tested positive for the virus, has now been isolated on the state park grounds in one of the mobile units. The person was not able to isolate at their primary residence and was not in critical condition requiring any hospital admittance. State public health officials determined that a specific part of Hard Labor Creek State Park would be best suited for isolation as the individual is treated by medical professionals.

Read More:

• GA Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know
• GA Coronavirus: New Cases Confirmed, Patients Quarantined At Park
• 2nd Fulton Schools Employee Tests Positive For Coronavirus
• Canton Waffle House Employee Tests Positive For Coronavirus

For information about coronavirus, visit the Georgia Department of Public Health or the CDC.