Covid-19 death toll climbs to 11 at Phoebe in Albany; other counties also report fatalities

ALBANY — The number of coranavirus tests outstanding from samples taken by Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital nearly doubled from Monday as three additional deaths were reported.

As of noon Tuesday, the hospital was awaiting test results for 1,039 patients, up from 599 the previous day. The hospital also reported that there have been a total of 11 deaths attributed to COVID-19.

The hospital has received 150 positive results of samples provided from sick patients and 163 have tested negative. The hospital was treating 31 patients sickened by the virus, and another 78 were hospitalized while awaiting test results.

One patient was being treated at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center, and one patient at Phoebe Worth Medical was in the hospital awaiting test results. Another 107 people who have tested positive for the coronavirus were at home.

Around the region, local governments have enacted orders prohibiting gatherings of more than 10 people, and some have enacted curfews.

Lee County took those steps on Friday.

Dougherty County issued a shelter-in-place order on Saturday.

On Tuesday leaders in several counties spoke with the idea of establishing a regional coronavirus task force.

“There have been a lot of questions about any differences between what the (various) governments are doing,” Lee County Commission Chairman Billy Mathis said during a Tuesday morning news conference held in front of the Government Center in downtown Albany that was closed to the public last week. “We ask you all to follow the directives we have given you, to stay away from large gatherings.”

The outbreak in Albany is believed to have originated at funerals attended by sick individuals.

That, Mathis said, indicates the need to temporarily put a halt to large gatherings.

In Dougherty County, for example, funerals have been limited to graveside services attended by no more than 10 family members.

“One of our largest (issues) in Lee County has been to get churches to cooperate in not having large gatherings,” Mathis said. “Please, please pastors, lead by example. Let your congregations know for the next couple of weeks we are not going to have any large gatherings.

“Do the best you can to stay at home, not go to church for a while and not go out as much as possible.”

Among nearby counties, Terrell and Worth also have issued emergency protective orders prohibiting gatherings of more than 10 people and dine-in service at restaurants and closed businesses such as gyms and bars. In addition, both counties have enacted a 10 p.m.-6 a.m. curfew.

Colquitt and Mitchel counties had not issued countywide restrictions as of Tuesday, but the city of Moultrie has temporarily suspended alcohol licenses for bars and enacted a 9 a.m.-6 p.m. curfew and asked that residents limit gatherings to no more than 10 people.

Visitors to the county’s courthouse and courthouse annex building have been limited, and beginning Thursday business conducted in the annex will be by appointment only, Colquitt County Administrator Chas Cannon said.

The county also is waiving credit card transaction fees for payments made to the county.

“More people use this annex than any other building in the county,” Cannon said.

Colquitt County Sheriff Rod Howell also has requested that judges try to work with people who have been arrested in granting bonds to reduce the number of inmates in the jail, Cannon said.

Mitchell County enacted an emergency order on Tuesday that will allow it to quickly enact any similar measures deemed necessary, said Jerry Pementer, the county’s finance director and assistant county administrator.

The county has had three confirmed cases of coronavirus and one death.

Three Terrell County residents had died of COVID-19 as of Tuesday, Terrell County Commission Chairman Wilbur T. Gamble III said.

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