7 more COVID-19 deaths reported in SE Georgia counties

Healthcare workers gather information before conducting an antigen test, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020, at a COVID-19 testing site outside Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. State officials say Florida has surpassed 500,000 coronavirus cases. Meanwhile, testing is ramping up following a temporary shutdown of some sites because of Tropical Storm Isaias. Antigen testing reveals whether a person is currently infected with COVID-19. It differs from antibody testing because once the infection is gone, antigens won't be present. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) (Wilfredo Lee, Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Friday’s afternoon update from the Georgia Department of Public Health showed only eight additional COVID-19 deaths in the state since Thursday’s report and seven of those were in just three Southeast Georgia counties: Glynn (5), Camden (1) and Pierce (1).

The state reported 4,109 new cases of coronavirus on Friday, bringing the state’s total to 209,004. Of those, 28 were in Glynn County, bringing its total to 2,450, with 47 deaths and 190 hospitalizations.

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In the six Southeast Georgia counties tracked by News4Jax, 70 new cases were reported Friday

Because of their smaller populations, Charlton and Ware counties have the highest concentration of cases in Southeast Georgia -- both with more than 3,000 per 100,000 people -- and Ware, with 12 deaths, has seen the most per capita deaths in the region.

The state puts Charlton in a group of 11 Georgia counties with the most cases in the last two weeks when weighted for its population.

As of Friday, the total number of hospitalizations statewide stood at 20,282 -- 280 of which were reported in the last 24 hours. The state admits the total number of hospitalizations is likely an underestimation since it only counted if it was at the time the case was reported to DPH. The number also does not represent the number of people currently hospitalized.

More than 1.75 million people have been tested in the state, which had an 11% positivity rate, as of Friday.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up within weeks. But for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the highly contagious virus can cause severe symptoms and be fatal.