Area DPH Totals for Tuesday-Governor Extends Executive Orders

The latest Georgia Department of Public Health report shows Stephens County with 853 total positive cases of Covid-19 and 27 deaths.

The latest report was released Tuesday afternoon.

Locally, Stephens County Hospital and its facilities have administered 4,818 COVID-19 tests.

Of those, 950 tests have come back positive with 755 patients receiving positive results, 3,823 received negative results, and 45 individuals are still awaiting their results.

Stephens County Hospital Chief Executive Officer Mike Hester says the hospital currently has four patients hospitalized with confirmed cases of COVID-19, and five others hospitalized awaiting results.

In neighboring counties, DPH is now reporting 62 deaths in Habersham County, one less than Monday’s report, and 1,363 total positive cases of the virus, Rabun County now has 6 deaths and a total of 283 cases, Hart County now has 11 deaths and has had 420 cases, Franklin County has had 563 cases and 11 deaths and Banks County has a total of 385 cases and 6 deaths.

Across the state of Georgia, the Department of Public Health is reporting a total of 272,697, of those, 24,847 have been hospitalized and 5,733 have died from complications of the virus.

Meanwhile, on Monday Governor Brian Kemp signed two executive orders extending the Public Health State of Emergency and existing COVID-19 safety measures.

Executive Order 08.31.20.01 extends the Public Health State of Emergency through 11:59 PM on October 10, 2020. The Public Health State of Emergency allows for enhanced coordination across government and the private sector for supply procurement, comprehensive testing, and healthcare capacity.

By renewing the applicability of existing language, Executive Order 08.31.20.02 continues to require social distancing, bans gatherings of more than fifty people unless there is six feet between each person, outlines mandatory criteria for businesses, and requires sheltering in place for those living in long-term care facilities and the medically fragile, among other provisions. The order runs through 11:59 PM on September 15, 2020.

The governor also reported that currently, COVID-19 hospitalizations in Georgia are at their lowest since July 6. Cases reported Sunday were at their lowest point since June 22. The statewide positivity rate has declined in the past month, and there is ample testing capacity in every region. As of last Friday, the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency had distributed 25.9 million masks, 10.6 million cloth face coverings, 5.2 million surgical gowns, 42 million gloves, and 1.6 million face shields and goggles to local hospitals, schools, and long-term care facilities.