Georgia’s coronavirus infection rate rose one day after state reopened for business
Gov. Brian Kemp plans to remove Georgia's shelter-in-place order this coming Thursday
The state of Georgia was among the first states in the country to authorize businesses to reopen.
The number of new coronavirus infections in the state, unfortunately, continues to rise exponentially.
Positive COVID-19 diagnoses spiked by more than 500 cases in a matter of seven hours Saturday afternoon, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and the total count in the state has since surpassed 23,220.
READ MORE: Georgia leaders say reopening state is ‘attack’ on Black people
The increase happened after Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp lifted shutdown orders on several nonessential businesses, such as barbershops, tattoo parlors, bowling alleys and nail salons on Friday. Many storefronts were met by lines of patrons. Some counties, such as Cobb County, reopened parks and trails with restrictions.
Additionally, many business owners have opted to reopen at a later date when they feel that the health crisis has been adequately addressed.
Georgia reported 731 people tested positive for the deadly disease on Saturday, up from 608 the day prior. More than 910 people have died of COVID-19 complications. Nearly 120,000 individuals have been tested for coronavirus and 19 percent were found to have contracted the disease, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
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At least one person has tested positive for the virus in all but two of Georgia’s 159 counties. Fulton County, which includes the city of Atlanta, has the most cases with more than 2,540 sickened. The 12 counties that make up metropolitan Atlanta combine for 5,329 positive cases.
Taliaferro and Glascock counties are the only two in the state without a confirmed case.
The state had 69 deaths and under 2,400 positive tests just four weeks ago.
As of now, Governor Kemp is still set to remove the state’s shelter-in-place order this coming Thursday. As many businesses
