ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Public Health posted additional confirmed cases of the new coronavirus early Friday morning, bringing the total number in the state to 42.
The cases include the following counties:
Recommended Videos
Bartow - 4
Charlton - 1
Cherokee - 2
Cobb - 8
Coweta - 1
Dekalb - 5
Fayette - 5
Floyd - 1
Fulton - 8
Gordon - 2
Gwinnett - 2
Lee - 1
Lowndes - 1
Polk - 1
One death has been reported in Georgia amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a 67-year-old man who had tested positive last Saturday. Gov. Brian Kemp said he died at a hospital in Marietta, and the man was also said to have had underlying health conditions.
“I know the medical professionals on site did everything that they could, and I greatly appreciate their efforts,” Kemp said. "As our state continues to address this pandemic, I urge Georgians to remain calm and support their neighbors and communities. We are in this fight together.”
At a news conference Thursday afternoon, Kemp said there will be no statewide mandate for closing schools or daycare facilities, but urged local communities and schools that feel that it is prudent to close as early as Friday and remain closed for two weeks.
“This is not a mandate. At this point, we feel local decision-making is the right course of action,” Kemp said, said he would support whatever decision community leaders make.
On Thursday, the Ware County Board of Education announced it was suspending all sporting and fine arts competitions at the middle and high school levels, as well as all external field trips, through March 27.
The Ware County School System made the announcement after the Georgia High School Association recommended all member schools suspend spring sports activities until further notice. The Ware County School System added it had not made the decision to close schools or cancel activities at this time.
A string of large events were canceled this week. Among them: Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, called off for the first time in nearly a century.