Live updates: What you need to know about COVID-19 in Columbus for July 23
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.
Here are the updated COVID-19 numbers for our area as of July 23.
Georgia
Muscogee County and its surrounding areas reported a total of 9,303 cases in the 3 p.m. Thursday update from the Georgia Department of Public Health. The total is an increase of 171 cases from Wednesday.
Here’s a breakdown by county of total cases, deaths and hospitalizations:
- Muscogee: 3642, 72, 378
Troup: 1999, 50, 210
- Sumter: 684, 55, 162
Chattahoochee: 505, 1, 9
Harris: 535, 14, 59
- Crisp: 346, 13, 51
Meriwether: 301, 5, 39
- Dooly: 230, 14, 46
Stewart: 235, 4, 48
- Randolph: 230, 26, 40
Macon: 154, 10, 36
Marion: 113, 4, 14
Talbot: 114, 3, 17
- Clay: 68, 2, 6
- Taylor: 54, 2, 13
Webster: 35, 2, 7
- Schley: 33, 1, 7
Quitman: 25, 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 coronavirus cases in Alabama has now reached 72,696 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 2,172 while Russell County’s total stands at 991.
There have been 618,011 tests performed statewide. The state reported 1,357 total COVID-19-related deaths as of Thursday.
The state of Alabama reports the number of presumed recoveries from COVID-19 on a weekly basis. On July 23, the state reported 32,510 presumed recoveries throughout Alabama.
To view the full list of Alabama COVID-19 cases, click here.
New Fort Benning commander
Fort Benning’s new commander knows the Army can’t afford a COVID-19 outbreak at the post that trains 35% of the branch’s fighting force, so he’s mounting an aggressive defense against the spreading pandemic.
Taking command Friday from Lt. Gen. Gary Brito, who’s now serving the Secretary of the Army at the Pentagon, Maj. Gen. Patrick Donahoe immediately issued an order tightening restrictions on both soldiers and civilian workers.
He ordered them to wear face masks whenever they can’t stay six feet from others, on post and off; to limit gatherings to no more than 15 people, with social distancing; and to avoid indoor dining and gym workouts.
Mask rules in Columbus
An announcement last week from Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp ruled out any kind of government-mandated mask policy at a state level and prohibited local leaders from imposing mask mandates for their municipalities.
In the absence of a government-mandated mask policy, business owners in Columbus are taking public health into their own hands.
Columbus friars with COVID-19
Parishioners from Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Columbus surprised four friars quarantined inside the friary at St. Anne Catholic Church in Columbus on Monday, offering prayers for their speedy recovery, serenading them in Spanish, and leaving floral bouquets for each friar.
The four friars are associated with St. Anne Catholic Church in Columbus and recently tested positive for COVID-19, according to church officials.
St. Francis: More than 50 COVID-19 hospitalizations
Currently, St. Francis is treating “more than 50” patients who have tested positive for COVID-19, according to a release from the hospital.
This number changes “rapidly,” according to spokesperson Becky Young.
This story was originally published July 23, 2020 at 9:12 AM.
