3 More GA Coronavirus Cases Confirmed, 1 Test Pending

ATLANTA, GA — The total number of Georgians infected with the coronavirus now stands at five, Gov. Brian Kemp said Saturday. The newest cases are in Cobb, Fulton and Floyd counties, while a sixth case in Gwinnett County is presumed positive for the respiratory disease, but still awaiting confirmation.

One Cobb County resident who recently returned from Italy — the site of the largest outbreak in Europe — is isolated at home with coronavirus, Georgia Department of Health officials said.

The second confirmed case is someone from Fulton County who is hospitalized. Authorities are still trying to determine how that person's exposure to the COVID-19 virus occurred.

And the third person is a 46-year-old Floyd County woman who is hospitalized. Testing by the Centers for Disease Control confirmed the patient has the virus, which was first indicated by a state lab test. The woman went to the Floyd Medical Center's Emergency Care Center with flu-like symptoms on Feb. 29, was treated and released, officials said. The woman did not meet the criteria to be tested for COVID-19 at that time, the hospital said. She returned to the Floyd Emergency Care Center on Tuesday with worsening symptoms, still did not meet coronavirus screening criteria, but was admitted to the hospital due to her condition, the county said.

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In addition, the Georgia Department of Health is awaiting confirmatory testing on a presumptive positive test for COVID-19 in a resident of Gwinnett County. The initial testing was completed by Georgia Public Health Laboratory on March 6. The person recently returned from Italy and was self-monitoring at home, and is now isolated at home, Kemp's office said.

There is no evidence of community spread of coronavirus in Georgia at this time, health officials said.

“Federal and state officials continue to work closely together to conduct testing and determine the extent of exposure for confirmed cases of COVID-19," Kemp said in a statement. "The risk to Georgians remains low. We ask Georgians to stay vigilant, utilize best practices to mitigate health risk, and remain calm.”

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“Despite these new cases, the overall risk of COVID-19 to the general public remains low; but each new case of COVID-19 in Georgia reinforces the fact that we should all be practicing basic prevention measures that are extremely effective in limiting the spread of COVID-19 and all respiratory illnesses,” said Dr. Kathleen E. Toomey, state health commissioner.

The state's first two cases of coronavirus are a 56-year-old Fulton County man who had been in Milan, Italy, and his son. The father and son both saw a private doctor in February and were also tested by the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The man's spouse and another child in the family are being tested, too.

A Cherokee County private co-op school was temporarily closed when officials determined the teen was a student there. No confirmed cases of the virus have been reported at the school.

If you have recently traveled to areas where there are ongoing outbreaks of COVID-19 and you develop fever with cough and shortness of breath within 14 days of your travel, or if you have had contact with someone who is suspected to have COVID-19, stay home and call your health care provider or local health department right away, officials said. Be sure to call before going to a doctor’s office, emergency room, or urgent care center and tell them about your recent travel and symptoms.

Prevent the Spread of Illness

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, the best way to prevent infection with any respiratory virus is to use the same preventive strategies used during a normal cold and flu season:

• Get a flu shot every year.
• Wash hands with soap and water frequently.
• Avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes.
• Stay home when you are sick until the illness is gone.
• Cover coughs and sneezes, and wash hands afterward.
• Wipe down frequently touched surface, including cell phones, door knobs and light switches.
• Stay 5-6 feet away from others who are coughing or otherwise ill.

Public Health Guidance On Virus Prevention:

• Do not go to an emergency room unless absolutely essential. People with symptoms including a cough, fever or other respiratory issues are advised to contact their regular doctor first.
• If you are sick, stay home.
• Commit to excellent personal hygiene, including regular hand-washing, and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

If You Have Symptoms

• Call your doctor if you have symptoms such as a cough, fever or difficulty breathing AND have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19, or if you live in or have recently traveled from an area with ongoing spread of COVID-19.
• If you are in respiratory distress, call 911 right away.
• Stay home when sick, except to get medical care.

Stay Informed

Globally, more than 102,000 people have been infected and over 3,490 people have died from the new coronavirus, Johns Hopkins reported Saturday morning. Of that total, more than 80,000 confirmed cases are in China, while the entire United States has 340 confirmed cases as of Saturday morning. Fourteen deaths in the U.S. have been tied to the virus outbreak.