For the fifth time, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has extended a statewide public health emergency he first declared in March.
His latest extension expired at midnight Saturday, and Kemp has now extended that until 11:59 p.m. Sept. 10.
Kemp also extended another executive order that restricts public gatherings of more than 50 people without social distancing measures (at least six feet between persons), outlines mandatory criteria for businesses and requires the medically fragile to shelter-in-place.
That order continues through Aug. 15.
“As our state ramps up testing, expands hospital surge capacity, and provides staffing, supplies, and resources to cities and counties throughout Georgia, we urge local officials to enforce the rules and restrictions detailed in these orders,” Kemp said in a statement.
Kemp’s extended orders come at the end of a month with around half of all of Georgia’s confirmed COVID-19 cases having occurred and with growing concerns about hospitalizations due to the virus.
On Friday another 4,149 cases were reported by the Georgia Department of Public Health, for 186,236 in all. At the end of June, there were 104,423 cases in Georgia.
In Cobb County, there were 6,329 cases in July, 56 percent of all of the county’s cases since tracking began in February. The county’s current total is 11,206, up from 4,877 on June 30.
Another 286 cases were reported in Cobb on Friday, the fourth day in a row in which at least 200 cases were reported.
Cobb’s death total stands at 297, which is unchanged from Tuesday.
UPDATED, Saturday, 4:30 p.m.:
Georgia’s COVID case on Saturday afternoon was 190,012, up by 3,709 from Friday, and 3,825 deaths. Another 308 new hospitalizations also were reported.
Cobb’s case total is up to 11,436, up 236 from Friday, with a new death reported, bringing that total to 298.
A total of 2,851 new cases have been reported in Cobb the last two weeks.
ORIGINAL REPORT CONTINUES:
But critical-care hospital beds in the Cobb area are in short supply. According to the latest COVID Situation Report issued by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (read it here), only 14 critical-care bends are remaining, out of 226, for the region that includes Cobb, Douglas, Paulding and Cherokee counties.
Hospitalizations also have grown during July, and GEMA reports that there are 3,155 people currently admitted for COVID-19 across the state; but those don’t include figures for Cobb, and Wellstar Kennestone Hospital.
Kemp has announced that a surge hospital will be opened at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta on Monday. It will start with a capacity of 60 and could hold up to 120 patients.
Related Content
- Cobb COVID deaths approach 300; cases surpass 10,000
- Editor’s Note: Trying to make sense of Cobb’s COVID-19 numbers
- The East Cobb Open for Business Directory
- East Cobb News COVID-19 Resource Page
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