Coronavirus in Columbus: Free COVID-19 testing this weekend, plus latest case count for area
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 throughout the day.
COVID-19 numbers in our area for July 8
GEORGIA
Muscogee County and its surrounding areas reported a total of 7,077 cases in the 3 p.m. Wednesday update from the Georgia Department of Public Health. This is an increase of 220 cases since Tuesday.
229 total deaths were reported in the area, an increase of one overnight.
Here’s a breakdown by county of total cases, deaths and hospitalizations:
- Muscogee: 2344, 55, 280
Troup: 1678, 36, 173
- Sumter: 590, 50, 154
Chattahoochee: 433, 0, 7
Harris: 401, 11, 47
- Crisp: 300, 12, 45
- Dooly: 217, 12, 44
- Randolph: 204, 25, 36
Meriwether: 230, 3, 26
Stewart: 206, 3, 43
- Macon: 131, 9, 36
- Marion: 88, 2, 13
Talbot: 88, 3, 15
- Clay: 56, 2, 5
- Taylor: 39, 2, 11
- Schley: 26, 1, 7
Webster: 27, 2, 7
- Quitman: 19, 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 46,424 according to the Alabama Department of Public Health’s dashboard at 4 p.m. EST Wednesday.
The number of reported cases in Lee County stands at 1,463 while Russell County’s total stands at 589.
There have been 467,754 tests performed statewide. The state reported 1,032 total COVID-19-related deaths as of Wednesday.
The state of Alabama reports the number of presumed recoveries from COVID-19 on a weekly basis. On July 8, the state reported 22,082 presumed recoveries throughout Alabama.
To view the full list of Alabama COVID-19 cases, click here.
Free COVID-19 testing this Saturday
The Georgia Department of Public Health is once again offering free COVID-19 testing to Georgia residents this Saturday.
Testing will take place at Springfield Baptist Church on 211 Seldon Street in Waverly Hall from 9 a.m. to noon.
For more info, call (706) 628-5037.
Columbus hospitals explain why they won’t release COVID-19 patient numbers
After repeatedly declining to provide data on how many COVID-19 patients are being treated in Columbus hospitals, representatives now explain why they aren’t releasing the information.
In an attempt to clarify the data reported by Georgia’s Department of Public Health, the Ledger-Enquirer asked Piedmont and St. Francis for their hospitalization data. They both declined.
The two hospitals have similar answers for the refusal: the number of COVID-19 patients is constantly changing.
Which Columbus businesses received at least $1M in PPE loans?
Here’s a list.
