Dougherty health officials expect more coronavirus cases as they await nearly 200 test results

ALBANY — With Dougherty County suffering one of the largest clusters of coronavirus clusters in the state, officials expressed concern at the “frustrating” pace of the processing of tests.

After opening a phone hotline for residents with symptoms of COVID-19, Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital on Monday took 78 samples at a drive-through location. But as of late Tuesday morning, the hospital had not received any results on a backlog of nearly 100 tests.

“I know this is frustrating on a number of levels,” Dr. Steve Kitchen, Phoebe’s chief medical officer, said during a Tuesday news conference with local elected and health officials. “It’s frustrating for our patients. It’s frustrating for our providers. What we want are test results that are rapid and readily available.

“We anticipate the number of cases in Dougherty County to go up. I don’t see any reason to think that’s going to change in the very near future.”

The Phoebe COVID-19 hotline number is (229) 312-1919.

On Monday the hospital announced it was awaiting results of 99 tests for 58 patients who were hospitalized and another 31 who were in their homes. Three of those who were in the hospital have been released. Hospital officials had expected to receive a number of test results on Monday afternoon, but those did not materialize.

Phoebe has been working with the state and a private company for testing and is now working with a second private laboratory.

On Monday there were five people hospitalized who had tested positive for coronavirus and three who were at home.

COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, also is the suspected cause in three weekend deaths in the county.

“We now know beyond a shadow of a doubt we have a significant (cluster) of coronavirus,” Dougherty County Commission Chairman Chris Cohilas said during the news conference. “(It’s) one of the largest in the state.

“I say that not to cause panic or raise an alarm, but to remind people to be vigilant.”

Officials redoubled their calls for residents to employ social distancing, to refrain from going out in public if they feel ill and to avoid contact with sick people unless they are a caregiver of that person.

They also asked for people to help neighbors who are elderly or have underlying health conditions by bringing them groceries and medicine — while maintaining a safe distance from them to avoid spreading the disease.

Following those practices is meant to protect community members who are most vulnerable as well as individuals who are not sick at the moment, said Southwest District Public Health Director Charles Ruis.

“Maybe you’re not affected today, but tomorrow you or someone you love may be affected,” he said.

Ruis said the agency was anticipating the arrival of protective equipment later in the day that would be shared with local health care providers. In turn, he asked that any providers with excess testing supplies share those with public health officials.

“On the other side of the plate, we in Public Health are short of collection kits,” he said.

Cohilas identified two churches and a funeral home as being points of contact with the cluster of cases.

Members of the churches — Gethsemane Worship Center and New Direction Christian Churches — “heavily attended” two funerals arranged by Martin Luther King Funeral Chapel, according to county officials.

“I know it’s frustrating to the community,” Phoebe Putney Health System President and CEO Scott Steiner said of the slow pace of test results coming in. “This is not something we can process internally. We anticipate getting test results today and having more information today.”

Staff Photos: Alan Mauldin
AlanMauldin[email protected]

AlanMauldin[email protected]

Staff Photo: Alan MauldinAlanMauldin[email protected]