Atlanta, GA – Georgia now has 4,638 COVID-19 cases, up 531 from the evening of March 31. The death toll has increased, too. To date, 139 people have died.

There are nearly 1,000 hospitalizations now, with 952 people admitted for COVID-19.

The number of cases is likely higher due to limited testing.

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Coronavirus symptoms can appear two to 14 days after exposure and include:

– Fever

– Cough

– Shortness of breath

The CDC says the following symptoms require emergency medical attention:

– Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

– Persistent pain or pressure in the chest

– New confusion or inability to arouse

– Bluish lips or face

Here are the recommendations on coronavirus prevention from the DeKalb County Board of Health:

– Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

– Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

– Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

– Stay home when you are sick.

– Cough or sneeze into your elbow or use a tissue to cover it, then throw the tissue in the trash.

– Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

For more information from the Centers for Disease Control, click here.

In other coronavirus news: 

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– Evan Anderson and Nadine Rouphael are the Emory physicians overseeing a trial of the Moderna vaccine. The trial started at Emory on March 27 and in Seattle on March 16.

“This Phase I study tests whether the vaccine is safe and to what extent it stimulates the immune system,” Emory University announced. “If the vaccine is found to be safe, future studies will examine whether it can prevent infection. Although this is the first vaccine for COVID-19 to be tested, it likely will not be the only one.”

The trial will last more than a year. Seventeen volunteers have enrolled. Some data on the study will be available in a couple of months.

Aneesh Mehta at Emory is leading the remdesivir therapeutic trial to test the efficiency of the antiviral drug on hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Emory has also developed its own antiviral drug, EIDD-2801.

“EIDD-2801 is an antiviral drug developed at Emory and is similar to remdesivir,” Emory University said. “It has been tested in collaboration with the University of North Carolina and Vanderbilt but has not been in clinical trials yet.”

– Emory University epidemiologist Carlos del Rio spoke to the press on April 1 and suggested guidance on facemasks may be changing. 

Until now, people have been encouraged not to buy facemasks because that takes critical supplies away from healthcare workers.

“As we’re learning more about this disease, we’re saying maybe it’s appropriate to have masking in public, or at least not discouraging it,” he said. “Nationally there’s a shortage in masks. What we don’t want is the public to buy all the masks. We have to prioritize having masks for our healthcare workers.”

People who are sick should wear masks at home or if they have to go to the drug store. To shore up hospital supplies, volunteers have been sewing masks for healthcare workers, but del Rio said they could also be used by the public.

“I think all the masks people are sewing could be used in the community,” he said.

– DeKalb County now has a COVID-19 call center. 

Here’s the full announcement:

DECATUR, Ga. – As positive COVID-19 cases continue to mount in DeKalb and throughout Georgia, so do the numerous questions about the virus.

To provide residents a local alternative to the state’s hotline, the DeKalb County Board of Health has established a COVID-19 call center to provide information related to risks, prevention, symptoms, isolation, community resources and testing.

The call center is open from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and can be reached by calling (404) 294-3700, Option 1.

Decaturish.com is working to keep your community informed about coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. All of our coverage on this topic can be found at Decaturishscrubs.com. If you appreciate our work on this story, please become a paying supporter. For as little as $3 a month, you can help us keep you in the loop about what your community is doing to stop the spread of COVID-19. To become a supporter, click here. 

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