Augusta, just two hours east of Atlanta, has reported 21 positive cases of the coronavirus as of Tuesday.
Two of the patients are hospitalized at Augusta University Health, while others remain at home, The Augusta Chronicle reported.
There are an additional 650 COVID-19 tests that have been administered by AU Health, according to Phillip Coule, the vice president and chief medical officer.
»RELATED: BREAKING: 32 deaths reported in Georgia as coronavirus cases surpass 1K
“We are working hard,” Coule said of getting the test kits results as soon as possible. Labs are reporting seven to 10 days to get results.
Other nearby hospitals have also reported cases: Doctors Hospital of Augusta had two positive cases and 11 patients under evaluation. Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center has seen one case.
It is unclear whether the hospitals have combined counts to reach the total number of positive cases for Augusta.
“If separate, the total count for the Augusta area would be as high as 24,” according to the newspaper report.
According to hospital spokesperson Rebecca Sylvester, University Hospital was expecting more chemicals needed for test kits but the federal government diverted them to “hot spot” states such as New York and California.
Georgia has topped 1,000 positive COVID-19 cases and reported 32 deaths.
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