Two more succumb to virus, cases grow

As the number of new cases continues to rise in Grady County two more local residents were listed this week as dying from COVID-19, according to information from state public health.

An 88-year-old white female, and 82-year-old white male were added to the list of local residents who have died from the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, bringing the total to eight.

Meanwhile, the number of new cases in Grady County remained in the 70’s for a second week in a row, at 76 this week compared to 78 last week, for a total of 579 since the pandemic began.

According to Emory University’s online COVID-19 Health Equity Interactive Dashboard, “As of 8/16/2020, the daily average of new COVID-19 cases in Grady County numbered 46 case(s) per 100,000 residents. In comparison, the daily average in Georgia was 27 case(s) per 100,000 and in the United States was 16 case(s) per 100,000.”

There were five positive patients undergoing treatment at Grady General Hospital as of Tuesday, according to Ashley Griffin, spokeswoman for Archbold Medical Centers, which operates G.G.H. Archbold Memorial Hospital in Thomasville had 32 such patients, Griffin stated, and Mitchell County Hospital had four.

Statewide, there were an additional 19,089 new cases in the last week, down from the previous week’s 24,640. The number of deaths across the state, though, rose by 443 to 4,794 total deaths compared to last week’s increase of 430 deaths.

While the state, overall, is seeing a decrease in statewide case numbers over the past two weeks relative to the two weeks prior to that, according to state Department of Public Health information, that is not the case in Southwest Georgia where cases continue to rise.

“These increases are driven by ongoing community transmission as well as outbreaks,” states a press release from the D.P.H.

In Georgia, Thomas County continues to see large numbers of new positive cases, 126 in the past seven days compared to 114 the previous seven days. Decatur County had 51 new cases this week, down from 118 the previous week. However, the county had four additional deaths this week, and six the week prior.

Mitchell County, which had been a hot spot, seems to have leveled off with only 19 new cases in the past week, 26 the previous week.

In Florida, Leon County saw an additional 393 cases in the last week, and Gadsden County had 132 new cases. Gadsden also had eight more deaths in the last seven days while Leon County had one new death.

Anyone concerned about whether he or she has COVID-19 may get tested at no cost at the Grady County Health Department, 1030 Fourth St. S.E., Cairo. Testing days during August are Tuesdays and Fridays, 8 a.m. until noon.

There are four ways to make an appointment for testing: people can call the hotline, (229) 352-6567; scan a QR Code available at southwestgeorgiapublichealth.org; go online to covid19.dph.ga.gov; or follow a link at southwestgeorgiapublichealth.org.