Coronavirus in Georgia: Confirmed cases rise to 9,156

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This blog will be updated throughout Tuesday, April 7, with news and details of COVID-19 in Georgia.

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7 p.m.:

With 19 deaths since noon, the state’s death toll rises to 348, Chelsea Prince and Zachary Hansen report.

The Department of Public Health also announced 338 more confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the state, which brings the total in Georgia to 9,156. Of those, 1,899 patients are hospitalized, which is about 20.7% of all cases.

6:30 p.m.: Next week's jobless benefits in Georgia will include the $600-per-person supplement that is part of the federal government's effort to soften the virus-triggered economic tempest, officials said. Michael E. Kanell has the details.

5:30 p.m.: Georgia officials say a pharmaceutical firm donated 200,000 doses of a medicine used to treat malaria and autoimmune diseases that President Donald Trump has aggressively promoted to fight COVID-19 even though it has yet to be proved safe for that use, Tia Mitchell and Greg Bluestein report.

2 p.m.:

Kennesaw State staff are

using a 3D printer and laser cutter in the university’s College of Architecture and Construction Management’s Digital Fabrication Lab to create face shields, which protect healthcare workers’ eyes and face from the virus spread by coughs and sneezes of infected patients. Kristal Dixon has the story.

Noon: Thirty-five Georgians have died since Monday night, according to the latest data from the Georgia Department of Public Health. Chelsea Prince reports the total is now 329 dtatewide from COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel virus.As of Tuesday, there are 8,818 confirmed cases of the virus in the state.

10:30 a.m.:

The U.S. Department of Education has approved Georgia’s request to waive the mandatory state tests known as the Milestones, Ty Tagami reports.

Georgia State School Superintendent Richard Woods had delayed implementation but lacked authority to dismiss the tests altogether.

9:30 a.m.: The commission chairs from a dozen north Georgia counties sent Gov. Brian Kemp a letter Monday urging him to lock down state parks in their communities to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Our Political Insider bloggers have the details.

7 a.m.:

Years of seasonal flu data in Georgia tell a clear story: the state’s most rural residents, who tend to be poorer, older, less educated and farther from health care, die at higher rates than those living in urban centers such as metro Atlanta. And, Chris Joyner and John Perry report, e

xperts are unsure if the same will hold true for COVID-19.

6:30 a.m.: A Statesboro church flouting his mandate underscores Gov. Brian Kemp's dilemma, Greg Bluestein reports. Kemp publicly agonized about a shutdown of religious services to slow the coronavirus pandemic before opting instead to require social distancing at houses of worship.

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OVERNIGHT

Georgia is entering a potentially devastating phase of the coronavirus outbreak, Alan Judd and Greg Bluestein reported, as scientific models predict a sharp surge in illnesses and deaths in the next two weeks.

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