GA Creates Outreach Panel As Coronavirus Cases Grow By Almost 500

GEORGIA — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has added a community outreach committee to the state’s coronavirus task force that will focus on meeting the different needs of residents across the state during the new coronavirus, or COVID-19, crisis. Kemp selected officials from both the public and private sectors to sit on the outreach committee.

In late February, Kemp created a task force of health, airport, school and emergency preparedness officials to identify the best way to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Georgia. Along with studying preventative measures, the task force is examining the best ways to deploy state resources to address the crisis and collaboration among levels of state government.

"To continue to serve the needs of all Georgians during this challenging time, we have formed the Community Outreach Committee," Kemp said Sunday in a statement.

On Sunday, the Georgia Department of Public Health reported 10 more deaths from the coronavirus. The updated numbers reflected an increase of 487 positive cases from noon on Saturday, bringing the total to 6,647 coronavirus cases statewide, and a total of 211 deaths. There are currently 1,283 people hospitalized from coronavirus in Georgia.

The public health department said the nearly 500-person increase in positive cases is in part due to additional laboratories reporting to the department and improvements in electronic reporting from other laboratories.

Kemp ordered a statewide shelter-in-place order that went into effect Friday. It's set to run through April 13. This date is in line with the state's public health emergency order. He also ordered Georgia public schools to stay closed for the rest of the 2019-2020 school year.

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As of Sunday, Fulton County's 962 cases are the most of any Georgia locality. The next highest totals are 686 in Dougherty County, DeKalb with 543 cases, Cobb with 456 cases, Gwinnett with 408 cases and Clayton with 238.

Of those counties, Dougherty has the most deaths in the state with 30. Fulton has had 27 deaths and Cobb is next with 23.

The members of Kemp's new community outreach committee are:

• Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO, The King Center - Co-Chair
• Leo Smith, President, Engaged Futures Group, LLC - Co-Chair
• Santiago Marquez, President and CEO, Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• Representative Calvin Smyre, Dean of the Georgia House of Representatives
• Leona Barr-Davenport, President and CEO, Atlanta Business League
• Nancy Flake Johnson, President and CEO, Urban League of Greater Atlanta
• Reverend Tim McDonald III, Pastor, First Iconium Baptist Church - Moreland Avenue
• Pastor Reggie Joiner, CEO and Founder, Orange
• Tres Hamilton, CEO, Coastal Georgia Area Community Action Authority
• Natalie Keng, Founder and CEO, Chinese Southern Belle, LLC
• Jasmine Crowe, Founder and CEO, Goodr, Inc.
• Dr. Wayne S. Morris, MD - Internal Medicine/Geriatrics
• Laura Mathis, Executive Director, Middle Georgia Regional Commission
• Rodney D. Bullard, Executive Director, Chick-fil-A Foundation
• Jacob Vallo, Senior Director of Transit Oriented Development and Real Estate, MARTA
• Sunny Patel, Operations Manager, Office of the Governor

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