Coronavirus in Georgia: Latest on COVID-19 in Atlanta and the state

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is committed to providing our readers with the most comprehensive coverage of the deadly coronavirus.

This blog will be updated throughout Monday, March 30, with news and details of COVID-19 in Georgia.

» Complete coverage: Coronavirus

7 p.m.:

Georgia has surpassed 3,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, Chelsea Prince and Zachary Hansen report, which have led to 100 deaths as of Monday evening.

The Department of Public Health announced 219 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 3,028. Of those cases, 771 patients are hospitalized, which is about 25.5% of all cases. Thirteen more deaths were also recorded since noon, which brings Georgia’s death toll to 100.

6:45 p.m.:

Grocery delivery services are scrambling to meet surging demand as more Georgia cities order their residents to stay at home to stanch the spread of the coronavirus, Tamar Hallerman reports.

Skyrocketing web traffic for delivery services run by Instacart, Walmart and others has prompted days-long delays in residents receiving their groceries.

6:30 p.m.: The University System of Georgia is providing dozens of ventilators and hundreds of thousands of pieces of personal protective equipment from its 26 colleges and universities to help health workers fighting the coronavirus outbreak. Scott Trubey has the story.

2:30 p.m.:

Erik Santos, 49, of Braselton, is charged with one count of conspiring to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute and one count of conspiring to commit health care fraud in a scheme to capitalize on the coronavirus pandemic by submitting phony claims to insurance providers. Alexis Stevens reports he was arrested at his home Monday.

1:45 p.m.:

The number of coronavirus infections in Georgia should peak during the week of April 22, according to one model cited Monday by Emory infectious disease expert Dr. Carlos del Rio. Rio told Helena Oliviero that

people hunker down during the upcoming month, stay at home as much as possible, and the state ramps up testing, “I really think by early May we’ll be fine.”

» Coronavirus in Georgia: stats in real time

1 p.m.:

Six Flags over Georgia and White Water will remain closed until at least mid-May, Asia Simone Burns reports.

Six Flags previously announced that parks would be closed through March, at which point the situation would be re-evaluated. The park said in a statement Monday it will open in mid-May “or as soon as possible thereafter.”

Noon:

The number of new coronavirus cases has slowed significantly in Georgia, even as deaths continue to climb. Chelsea Prince reports t

here are now at least 2,809 confirmed cases of the virus statewide and 87 deaths

, up from 83 deaths reported Sunday. Fewert than one-third of those infected are hospitalized.

» Georgians who lose jobs, health insurance can sign up for ACA coverage

8:45 a.m.:

Dalton City Councilwoman Annalee Harlan is self-isolating after her grandfather died Sunday, Chelsea Prince reports. Family members said he contracted COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. Harlan had been caring for her grandfather.

The Jolt: In Georgia, a debate over jobs vs. public health breaks into the open https://t.co/bAiiRcETNT
— Jim Galloway (@politicalinsidr) March 30, 2020

7 a.m.: House Speaker David Ralston wrote in a letter Sunday that a further delay of Georgia's upcoming primary election is justified because there will still be a state of emergency from the coronavirus on May 19. Mark Niesse has the story.

6:30 a.m.: Atlanta Motor Speedway and the American Red Cross will host a blood drive on Monday, April 6. The drive will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Atlanta Motor Speedway's Tara Ballroom, located within the AMS Condo Building at 1500 Tara Place in Hampton. Our Sports team has the details.

6 a.m.: A campaign that spreads positivity and hope amid the coronavirus pandemic has raised $40,000 for local artists, officials said. J.D. Capelouto tells you how "Everything Will Be OK" is a sign of the times for Dunwoody.

» US currently has the most coronavirus cases in the world

OVERNIGHT

Gov. Brian Kemp's office on Sunday grappled with blowback from a top aide's comments blasting local governments for "overreacting" to the coronavirus outbreak by enacting tougher restrictions on movement and commerce than those called for by the governor.

» Your money: Resources during the coronavirus pandemic

SUNDAY’S TOP STORY

The number of coronavirus cases in Georgia has increased to 2,683 and 83 deaths since noon on Sunday. With 32 more new cases and 3 new deaths, 678 patients remain hospitalized, a rate of about 25.27 percent, according to the figures released at 7 p.m.

OVER THE WEEKEND