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Information provided at 5:30 p.m. on March 25, 2020 from District 4 Public Health.
ZEBULON - There are 117 confirmed cases COVID-19 in District 4. This includes Butts, Carroll, Coweta, Fayette, Heard, Henry, Lamar, Meriwether, Pike, Spalding, Troup and Upson Counties.
When asked about the large jump from 26 to 50 confirmed cases in Carroll County, Hayla Folds, the Public Information Officer (PIO) for District 4, Georgia Department of Public Health advised Pike County Times that there "will continue to be more positive cases with additional testing taking place." She continued and said, "I suspect big jumps will continue as the commercial labs come in."
Henry County jumped from 13 positive cases to 20, and Spalding from 5 positive cases to 10. At this time, Pike County remains at 0 confirmed cases.
PIO Folden advised in a breaking news article from earlier today that no positive test results at this time for COVID-19 “doesn’t mean that it isn’t in the county.”
According to the State Department of Health as of 7 p.m. this evening, there have been 1,387 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 438 hospitalizations (31.58%), and 47 deaths (3.39%) throughout the entire state.
According to the state website, commercial lab have performed 4,697 COVID-19 tests with 1,172 positive results. The Georgia Public Health Laboratory has performed 1,482 tests with 215 positive results.
PIO Folden emphasized some information about the need for testing and recovery of those with symptoms of COVID-19. "According to federal and state health officials, people who do not have symptoms of COVID-19 do not need to be tested. Additionally, most people who are mildly or moderately ill with “cold-like” symptoms do not need to be tested. The majority of people with COVID-19 can safely recover at home with self-isolation and symptomatic treatment. Diagnosis through laboratory testing does not change the care that they would receive. Older adults and people who have severe underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 and should always consult their healthcare provider if they are sick.”
COVID-19 is a disease that was first identified in Wuhan, China and has spread throughout the world--including here in Georgia. The Georgia Department of Public Health is encouraging the public to use the following precautions to help prevent the spread of this virus and other infectious diseases:
· Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
· Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
· Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
· Stay home when you are sick.
· Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
· Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Click here to see Georgia Department of Public Health numbers with the understanding that there is a lag in getting results from testing and that these numbers have been changing on a daily basis. Updates are provided on the state website at NOON and 7:00 pm every day. [Note from the Editor: I have been told that there is a lag of 8 to 10 days to get results and actually spoke to someone through Facebook that didn't receive her (thankfully negative!) result for longer than that.] Click here to read more from the Centers for Disease Control.
Pike County Times will continue to monitor this situation and provide information to the public as it is obtained.