GA Coronavirus Update: 1,043 Deaths, More Than 500 New Cases

ATLANTA, GA — As of noon Wednesday, the growing toll of the coronavirus outbreak in Georgia included 17 more deaths, the Georgia Department of Public Health released in its daily report. The updated numbers reflect an increase of 544 cases from noon on Tuesday, bringing the total to 25,159 coronavirus cases statewide, and a total of 1,043 deaths. Of that total, 4,921 are hospitalized.

Most of the top 10 counties with the highest number of coronavirus cases and deaths are in the metro Atlanta area, with Fulton County still first for cases with 2,755. Dougherty County, though, which has the fifth highest number of cases at 1,493, has the highest death count at 118.

Other counties in the top five are DeKalb at second, with 1,907 cases and 44 deaths; Gwinnett at third, with 1,624 cases and 54 deaths; and Cobb at fourth with 1,538 cases and 81 deaths.

Of Georgia's coronavirus cases, more African Americans have tested positive for the coronavirus, a little more than 9,000. Whites make up about 7,000 cases. Nearly 5,000 cases by race are still missing from the report.

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Although the state's fatalities from the virus continues to climb, Gov. Brian Kemp has said the slow reopening of businesses can be done safely. He tweeted Tuesday that according to data submitted by Georgia hospitals to the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, 992 ventilators are in use by COVID-19 patients. Tuesday marks the lowest day for ventilator use in the state with 1,854 ventilators available out of 2,846 total.

Along with Tuesday's numbers came a redesigned website that showed more statistics and was easier to read. Among other things, the website showed clearly that more than 140,000 Georgians had been tested so far, and that nearly 1,100 had been admitted to intensive care units.

More than 140,000 Georgians have been tested so far, and more than 1,100 have been admitted to intensive care units.

As of Wednesday afternoon, there are more than 1 million cases of COVID-19 and more than 58,000 deaths total in the U.S., according to data collected by Johns Hopkins.

Georgia's increasing numbers come at the same time Kemp has loosened shelter-in-place restrictions for the state. On Friday, some hair salons, nail salons, bowling alleys and gyms reopened. On Monday, restaurants were allowed to reopen. All reopenings required appropriate social distancing and following other CDC guidelines. In the face of blowback from both the public and the media, Kemp aggressively defended his decision to reopen at a Monday afternoon press conference.

While some businesses reopened and some localities are supporting Kemp, other cities like Atlanta — where the coronavirus has hit hard — have been reluctant to go all in. On the Tamron Hall television show Monday, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said it made her "heart sink" when she saw a hair salon that couldn't possibly enforce social distancing reopen.
She also criticized Kemp for deciding to lift some restrictions. "I've never found the governor to be an unreasonable man, but this really defies logic for me," Lance Bottoms said.

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