Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp took some steps to restrict the size of public gatherings and quarantine medically vulnerable Georgians Monday afternoon in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus. Meanwhile, local governments have taken various measures to create their own plans.

The Georgia Department of Public Health is releasing COVID-19 updates twice a day as more test results start rolling in.

As of 7 p.m. Monday, March 23, there are 800 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in nearly 70 of Georgia’s 159 counties with 26 reported deaths. Just over 5,000 tests have been performed by state and commercial labs. Today's big jump in testing number is "reflective of improvement in electronic reporting efficiency from commercial laboratories," state health officials say. 

Here is the latest coronavirus news from Georgia for Monday, March 23, 2020.

Georgia was an outlier in statewide response before taking action

According to the National Governors Association, at least seven states are under a stay at home order, while 28 total states have a mandatory cap on the size of public gatherings. At least 35 states have some sort of statewide order closing or limiting the operation of some businesses.

For now, Mississippi is the only Southern state to not take action.

At a 5 p.m. press conference, Kemp announced several changes, requiring those deemed "medically fragile" to shelter in place for two weeks, closing bars and nightclubs and restricting public gatherings of 10 or more that can't keep people at least 6 feet apart.

Sunday, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed an executive order that prohibits gatherings of 10 or more, requires restaurants in that state to only have takeout options and requires all businesses to “utilize alternative business models.”

Also Sunday, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards issued a stay at home order lasting until April 12.

“The bottom line is we’re in a race against time when it comes to this coronavirus and its spread across Louisiana,” Edwards said. “The mitigation measures that we have in place will not be effective if our people and our businesses  do not actively participate.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an order last week shutting down bars and nightclubs statewide for 30 days and directing public beaches to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines limiting the size of public gatherings. Monday, Florida closed all state parks because too many people were still visiting them.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster last week closed bars and dine-in restaurants, limited events of 50 or more from happening in government facilities.

In Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey issued an updated public health order that prohibits all non-work related gatherings of 25 people or more, or public gatherings of any size that cannot maintain a 6-foot distance between people. Restaurants and bars are not allowed to have on-site consumption and beaches are also closed through April 5.

 

Cities and counties are imposing limitations to curb the spread of coronavirus

Atlanta, Columbus, Savannah, Augusta and Macon have passed restrictions closing certain establishments and limiting public crowds. Macon Mayor Robert Reichert announced Monday morning an order that closes restaurant dining rooms and bars, plus businesses like hair salons where people come in close contact. Public gatherings of more than 10 people are also not allowed, including churches.

In southwest Georgia, Dougherty County has been hit especially hard by the virus and is implementing a shelter-in-place order to keep people at home.

The order seeks to prevent the virus from travelling in the community by closing businesses deemed non-essential and limiting public gatherings until at least early April.

“I don't think people are taking this threat as seriously as we should,” Albany Mayor Bo Dorough said during a press conference Sunday. “The coroner has got on this podium and explained people are dying. The medical professionals have told us this is a highly contagious virus. We cannot wait till we are infected to stop the spread.”

The order grants several exceptions, including grocery stores, healthcare centers, banks, hardware stores and take-out restaurants.

Officials in Athens-Clarke County enacted a similar shelter-in-place order last week.

DeKalb County has now ordered bars and restaurants to be takeout or delivery only, prevents public gatherings over 10 people (including places like bowling alleys and gyms) and also enacts a voluntary curfew.

Several other cities and counties in Georgia have also put curfews in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

In Atlanta, those cities include Tucker, College Park and South Fulton.

The city of Milledgeville, as well as Sumter, Baldwin, and Laurens counties have also enacted curfews, which closes establishments and limits travel in the evening, except for people working, getting supplies or seeking medical aid.

First adolescent hospitalized with COVID-19

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is reporting one of the first known cases involving an adolescent. A 12-year-old girl is currently fighting for her life at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite. The disease COVID-19 is somewhat rare in children, with just 1% of cases in Georgia involving the 0-17 age group according to the most recent figures from the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Coronavirus task force member has coronavirus, four Senators with confirmed cases

State Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick (R-Marietta) announced on Facebook Friday that she had tested positive for COVID-19. The physician said she self-quarantined immediately after developing a fever last weekend, was tested Sunday and received results Friday.

She is the fourth state senator to test positive after Alpharetta Republican Brandon Beach sent the entire legislature into self-quarantine earlier this week.

Beach was at the Capitol as late as Monday with symptoms of the virus, even as he was awaiting results for his COVID-19 test.

Sen. Bruce Thompson (R-White) posted on Facebook Sunday he tested positive after being hospitalized most of last week.

Sen. Nikema Williams (D-Atlanta), chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia, detailed her testing ordeal on Facebook, writing Sunday she got her positive diagnosis after waiting nearly five days for results.

"The positive #COVID19 test result was also a reminder that it’s not just 60+ year olds or people already sick that are testing positive," she wrote. "YOU can get this too. Many of you reading this already have the Coronavirus and are showing no symptoms."

Kemp named several committees for his coronavirus task force Friday, including Kirkpatrick as a member of the primary care provider committee.

Kemp: no plans for lockdown, for now

There are no plans currently to ban public events, institute a mandatory quarantine or shut down businesses in Georgia as both confirmed cases and testing capacity for COVID-19 continues to grow, Kemp announced Thursday.

However, the governor outlined a new reality for many Georgians in his digital briefing.

“As you all know, life has drastically changed over the past few weeks here in our state, across our country, and certainly across the world,” he said. “Our Georgia children are now at home, many Georgians are working remotely, our public gatherings are few and far between, and that’s for a very good reason.”

Funeral homes make difficult decisions to minimize spread

Funeral homes are some of the latest businesses to change their practices to incorporate “social distancing” to keep people from spreading coronavirus.

In the Valdosta Daily Times, Casey Music of Music Funeral Home said making changes to the business has been “the hardest decision” he's ever made.

“Since 1955, our family has served families in any capacity that they've wanted,” Music said. “Now, to have to put this in place, was a very tough decision.”

Some of those changes? Limiting in-person visits to necessary funeral business or to handle financial and insurance matters; conducting only graveside, memorial services in open, outdoor areas; and the suspension of formal public visitations.

Macon's mayor issued an executive order preventing funeral directors from conducting indoor services unless there are fewer than 10 people, people must take their own rides to a grave site, outdoor services must have attendees stand at least 6 feet apart and those who are sick or had close contact with someone who is sick should stay home.

An outbreak of COVID-19 in Albany is believed to be linked to several funerals in the area as well.

First COVID-19 cases in Georgia prison

The Georgia Department of Corrections announced late Friday night that three inmates at Lee State Prison in Leesburg have tested positive for COVID-19. One has been hospitalized since March 15, the others since March 16.

According to a press release, no staff at the prison have exhibited symptoms of the illness, but earlier this week GDC said a staff member at one of the 34 state prisons has coronavirus.

At that time, the ACLU of Georgia called for low-level offenders or those in custody who could not afford to pay cash bail to be released.

RELATED: Fulton County Chief Jailer Says Crime Isn't Down, But Inmates Are Keeping COVID-19 Away

Atlanta Police Officer Has COVID-19

An Atlanta Police officer has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a statement released by APD March 21, marking the department’s first confirmed case. The officer works in the department’s headquarters, which has been undergoing frequent cleanings by a decontamination company. 

Epidemiologists deployed to help curb Albany outbreak

The Georgia Department of Public Health and CDC are sending a team of epidemiologists to investigate the rapidly rising number of COVID-19 cases in Dougherty County.

There are at least 48 confirmed cases and seven deaths, and hospital officials at Phoebe Putney say hundreds more are at home self-isolating until testing results come back.

In a noon Sunday update, the hospital system said there are 103 total positive results, 694 patients awaiting test results either at home or in a hospital and gave a somber look at the state of things.

"The fact that we are now reserving all three of our main hospital’s ICUs for COVID-19 patients shows the seriousness of the situation in our community,” chief medical officer Steven Kitchen said.

The public health team’s initial focus will be on the hospital group as well as long-term care facilities.

“This is a historic public health threat and we must work together with our federal, state and local partners to contain this pandemic,” DPH commissioner Kathleen Toomey said. “Individuals, too, must take responsibility for themselves and their families to ensure they are taking all the recommended COVID-19 prevention measures, including avoiding large groups and gatherings.”

Kemp, Congressman Sanford Bishop and members of the Dougherty County delegation released a statement imploring residents to stay home, limit social gatherings and follow guidelines posted by health officials.

Death toll at 26

Twenty-six people have died from COVID-19 so far, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.

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