GA Coronavirus: 1,000 New Cases, 38 Deaths Reported Over Weekend

GEORGIA — Over the weekend, Georgia tallied more than 1,000 new cases confirmed of the coronavirus, and 38 more deaths.

As of Monday at noon, there have been 23,773 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, 4,433 hospitalized and 942 deaths, the Georgia Department of Public Health released in its daily report. Since Saturday at noon, that is an increase of 1,078 new cases, 107 hospitalized and 38 deaths. Deaths comprise nearly 4 percent of confirmed cases in Georgia.

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 2,593 and 95 deaths. Dougherty County, though, which has the fourth-highest number of cases at 1,474 has the highest death count at 108.

Other counties in the top five are DeKalb at second, with 1,821 cases and 36 deaths; Gwinnett at third, with 1,520 cases and 50 deaths; and Cobb at fifth with 1,452 cases and 75 deaths.

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Businesses such as hair salons, gyms and bowling alleys were allowed to reopen on Friday if they followed safeguards to prevent the spread of the disease. Gov. Brian Kemp said that restaurants can follow on Monday by offering dine-in service again with social distancing measures.

The businesses that are reopening face restrictions, including social distancing and regular sanitation. Businesses that allow more than 10 people at a single location must require at least a 6-foot distance between people.

"Most businesses remained open with restrictions to ensure community health and well-being," Kemp said Thursday. "We were successful in our efforts to protect Georgians and our state's healthcare infrastructure. Now, with favorable data and approval from state health officials, we are taking another measured step forward by opening shuttered businesses for limited operations. I know these hardworking Georgians will prioritize the safety of their employees and customers."

Fitness centers, barbers, hair salons, tattoo shops and bowling alleys are among the businesses allowed to resume operation on Friday. To reopen the services must continue social distancing and medical screenings.

"Unlike other businesses, these entities have been unable to manage inventory, deal with payroll, and take care of administrative items while we shelter in place," Kemp said last week. "This measure allows them to undertake baseline operations that most other businesses in the state have maintained since I issued the shelter-in-place order."

See more: Reopening Guidelines Released For Salons, Spas: GA Coronavirus

On Monday, movie theaters may open their doors and Georgia restaurants are allowed to resume in-house dining. Guidelines were released for restaurants, including no buffets, servers are required to wear face masks and limited capacity inside buildings.

See more: Reopening Guidelines Released For Restaurants: GA Coronavirus

President Donald Trump is watching Georgia after saying last week that Kemp knows what he's doing, and then criticizing the reopening as too soon at a press briefing.

The president tweeted Friday, "I (or @VP) never gave Governor Brian Kemp an OK on those few businesses outside of the Guidelines. FAKE NEWS! Spas, beauty salons, tattoo parlors, & barber shops should take a little slower path, but I told the Governor to do what is right for the great people of Georgia (& USA)!"

According to the Johns Hopkins University of Medicine, there have been more than 972,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States, with 54,000 deaths. More than 100,000 have recovered in the U.S. Worldwide, there are nearly 3 million cases and 207,000 deaths.

Related:

• GA Reopening Friday Divides Business Owners: Coronavirus
• Trump Backtracks, Says Too Soon For GA Coronavirus Reopening
• Details Of Georgia's Controversial Reopening: Coronavirus