Whitfield County sees 11 COVID-19 deaths in a little over a week

After Whitfield County recorded 32 deaths from the new coronavirus (COVID-19) from Feb. 1 to Aug. 10, the number jumped to 41 deaths from the 10th through Monday, according to the North Georgia Health District. By Thursday, two more deaths in Whitfield County had been attributed to COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths in the county to 43.

“It would seem the death rate in Whitfield County has slightly increased incrementally in correlation to the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the county,” said Jennifer King, public information officer for the North Georgia Health District. “It is our assessment that a number of people who have been ill with COVID-19 are now succumbing to the disease after having survived it for a period of time due to medical intervention.”

Most of Whitfield County’s deaths are recorded as those of white individuals, 35 of the 41 as of Monday, and only four of the 41 had no other underlying conditions, according to a North Georgia Health District “snapshot” of the county dated Monday (http://nghd.org/images/WC-SnapShot_-8-17-2020.pdf). The median age of the deceased is 73, with an age range of 50 to 96.

Individuals with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of getting severely sick from COVID-19 and may be ill for longer periods of time, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Those with conditions such as asthma, chronic kidney disease, diabetes and sickle cell disease are at greater risk from the virus.

Of the 3,743 confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 infections in Whitfield County as of Monday morning, 196, or 5%, required hospitalizations, according to the snapshot. The 41 who died represented 1.1% of the 3,743 infected.

The 43 deaths in Whitfield County are out of now 3,790 cases as reported by the Georgia Department of Public Health Thursday afternoon, or 1.11%. On Wednesday of last week, there were 3,625 total positive cases in Whitfield County, with 32 deaths (0.88%); on Aug. 5, there were 3,304 cases with 28 deaths (0.85%), and on July 29, there were 2,893 cases with 24 deaths (0.83%).

“We continue to urge residents to protect themselves and this community by stopping the spread of COVID-19,” King said. “Unfortunately, convincing the public that they can have an impact on slowing the spread of this disease by practicing recommended precautions has been a challenge for health officials.”

“We can all have an impact on slowing the spread of this disease by following simple precautionary recommendations provided by public health and the CDC, such as wearing a mask in public, maintaining a social distance of at least 6 feet, avoiding large crowds, frequently washing our hands or using a hand sanitizer, regularly sanitizing surfaces and objects that we handle, and isolating ourselves at home if we feel ill,” King explained earlier this summer. “If these measures were widely practiced here, we could prevent the spread of this virus.”

As of Monday, public health had provided 19,191 total COVID-19 tests in Whitfield County since March, according to the snapshot. July saw 9,450 tests provided, more than double that of any previous month, while August had seen 2,434 tests through Monday morning.

The Whitfield County Health Department generally offers COVID-19 testing from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, but those times are subject to change depending on various factors, according to King. There’s also often testing on Saturdays.

Residents are urged to refer to the regularly updated COVID-19 testing schedule posted on the North Georgia Health District website at www.nghd.org — click on the “COVID-19 Information for North Georgians” banner — but you can also call (888) 881-1474 to learn more about testing in the North Georgia Health District.

The Georgia Department of Public Health offers COVID-19 testing for free, so no form of payment or health insurance is required, according to King. To register for free COVID-19 testing and receive an appointment at the nearest testing site, call (888) 881-1474.