Coronavirus in Columbus: News and numbers for the Chattahoochee Valley on June 25
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information and numbers regarding the coronavirus in the Chattahoochee Valley.
Georgia’s coronavirus case totals update each day at 3 p.m. Check back for more updates.
Fort Benning Cancels 2020 Independence Celebration
Fort Benning has canceled their annual Independence Celebration, according to a press release. The event, which was supposed to be held on Aug. 22, will be postponed until next June.
All activities including a concert featuring Andy Grammer and Macy Kate, as well as fireworks and other demonstrations have been canceled as well.
The event celebrates not only the Fourth of July, but also provides soldiers a place to enjoy music, food and other activities. According to the press release, the new date for the event in June 26, 2021.
More information on the 2021 Independence Celebration festivities will be provided at benning.armymwr.com.
COVID-19 numbers in the area for June 25
GEORGIA
Muscogee County and its surrounding areas reported a total of 5,180 cases in the 3 p.m. Wednesday update from the Georgia Department of Public Health.
This is an increase of 111 cases since Wednesday. 202 total deaths were reported in the area, with one increase since yesterday.
Muscogee and Troup counties had the largest case increases with 51 each.
Here’s a breakdown by county of total cases, deaths and hospitalizations:
- Muscogee: 1428, 40, 217
Troup: 1233, 29, 131
- Sumter: 542, 50, 145
Chattahoochee: 363, 0, 6
- Crisp: 265, 12, 43
Harris: 286, 9, 35
- Dooly: 196, 12, 41
- Randolph: 197, 25, 36
Meriwether: 167, 2, 22
- Macon: 113, 9, 36
Stewart: 106, 3, 21
- Marion: 77, 2, 11
- Clay: 56, 2, 5
- Talbot: 66, 2, 14
- Taylor: 27, 2, 10
- Schley: 23, 1, 7
Webster: 20, 1, 5
- Quitman: 15, 1, 5
A full county-by-county breakdown from the Georgia Department of Public Health can be found here.
Georgia’s West-Central Health District covers 16 counties: Chattahoochee, Clay, Crisp, Dooly, Harris, Macon, Marion, Muscogee, Quitman, Randolph, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor and Webster.
Troup and Meriwether counties are not in the West-Central Health District but because of their proximity to Columbus, the Ledger-Enquirer will track those numbers as well.
ALABAMA
The number of novel coronavirus cases in Alabama has now reached 32,753 according to the Alabama Department of Public Health’s dashboard at 4 p.m. EST Thursday.
The number of reported cases in Lee County stands at 1,001 while Russell County’s total stands at 407.
There have been 369,005 tests performed statewide. The state reported 880 total COVID-19-related deaths as of Thursday.
The state of Alabama now reports the number of presumed recoveries from COVID-19 on a weekly basis. On June 24, the state reported 18,866 presumed recoveries throughout Alabama.
To view the full list of Alabama COVID-19 cases, click here.
Drive-thru diplomas
Columbus Technical College celebrated the accomplishments of their spring 2020 graduates Wednesday by hosting a drive-by diploma pickup on the school’s campus.
Each graduate remained in their vehicle and pulled forward one at a time to receive their diploma and a gift from school administrators.
“Some of our graduates have sacrificed so much to make it to this point so we want to let them know that we see them, we understand and we’re just definitely proud of them,” said Tara Askew, vice president of student affairs at CTC.
Askew said it was also a reminder to students that they haven’t been forgotten in the middle of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Many of the school’s graduates are entering health care fields, and will be on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19.
Kimberly Dawn Henderson successfully completed the school’s Practical Nurse program and will be taking the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) in two weeks.
“I’m already on the front lines at one of the local pharmacies here in town but I’ll be more directly now dealing with patient care,” Henderson said.
Henry Felton graduated with an associates degree in human resources. Felton said he hadn’t planned to attend Columbus Tech, but his experience at the school changed his life.
“I saved a lot of money because my parents didn’t have a enough money to send me to schooI so it was life changing,” Felton said. “I was able to start investments early, I was able to get a car early, I was able to come from nothing to something.”
A total of 414 students finished their academic requirements in Spring of 2020 and qualified for graduation.
Phenix City assistant police chief dies while being treated for COVID-19
Phenix City Assistant Police Chief Gail Green Gilliam died Wednesday while being treated for COVID-19 in a Columbus hospital, Mayor Eddie Lowe told the Ledger-Enquirer.
Green served on the city’s police force for 33 years, and she was “an outstanding person with a lot of character and integrity,” Lowe said.
This story was originally published June 25, 2020 at 4:17 PM.
