Jim Miller Park Archives

Cobb Coronavirus testing — *A hopeful sign on Holly Springs Road, near the Davis Road roundabout. (ECN photo)*

A total of 1,014 Coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Cobb County, as of 7 p.m. Thursday.

The Georgia Department of Public Health is also reporting that 49 people have died from COVID-19 in the county.

UPDATED for those seeing this in the Sunday newsletter: As of 7 p.m. Saturday the number of cases stands at 1,104 in Cobb County, with 51 deaths.

(The Georgia DPH daily status report is updated at 12 and 7 p.m.)

Those figures are among the highest in the state of Georgia, and according to Dr. Janet Memark, Director of Cobb and Douglas Public Health, Cobb is likely a couple weeks away from reaching its peak.

The reference was to hospital capacity, which she said is escalating but has not yet topped out.

In a videotaped message at Jim Miller Park that was released by the county Thursday afternoon, Memark also said the public can now without needing a doctor’s reference.

That had been the case until earlier this week, when expanded criteria also was contingent on a medical referral.

She said anyone with symptoms for COVID-19—such as a shortness of breath, fever or dry coughing—can call Cobb and Douglas Public Health or go to its website “and you can get an appointment very quickly.”

Jim Miller Park had been designated as one of several drive-up testing centers around the state, but has only been able to do around 50 tests a day.

Memark previously told the Cobb Board of Commissioners that patients with medical referrals, health care workers and first responders had been the first priorities.

Those scheduled to be tested came in during a short window of operations. Memark said testing hours have been expanded at Jim Miller Park and Hunter Park in Douglasville, and soon will have the capability to test 100 people an hour.

(Here’s the detailed criteria to get tested)

Testing will be available Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

In addition, people can call the Cobb and Douglas Public Health call center at 770-514-2300 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday to schedule an appointment.

You can also click here for an appointment.

*For a larger view of this map, **click here**. Source: **Cobb County COVID-19 Resource Page**.*

According to Georgia DPH, more than 16,000 cases have been confirmed in Georgia, with 617 deaths as of Thursday evening.

“Testing is extremely important,” Memark said, especially lieu of a vaccine (not likely to be ready for another 12-18 months).

With more widespread testing, “we can have a better idea how it’s affecting our community.” Those testing results will help public health officials better determine how the virus is spreading, Memark said, “and when we talk about reopening we need this kind of information going forward.”

Georgia’s shelter-in-place order has been extended to April 30, and a public health emergency has been declared through May 13.

Memark said the number of cases in Cobb is rising at lower rates than a few weeks ago, an indication, she said “that social distancing is working, and we’re very happy about that.”

Georgia National Guard troops also have been called to Jim Miller Park as the testing procedures expand.