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Coronavirus in Georgia on April 29

Here is the latest on the impact the virus is having across the state.

ATLANTA — For the latest coronavirus new click here--> https://bit.ly/2WdRUqx

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: 

*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.

Read the full story.

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."

Read the full story.

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.

Read the full story.

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.

Read the full story.

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.

Read the full story.

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.

Read the full story.

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.

Read the full story.

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:

US virus recoveries near 116,000; GDP fell nearly 5% last quarter

Company says drug proved effective against COVID-19 in major US study

CDC extends social distancing guidelines to include pets

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