Coronavirus in Georgia: Latest updates on COVID-19 in Atlanta, state

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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 Wednesday, April 22, with news and details of COVID-19 in Georgia.

» Complete coverage: Coronavirus

7 p.m.:

Georgia recorded 10 new coronavirus-related deaths since noon, bringing the state’s toll to 846, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.

In addition, Chelsea Prince and Zachary Hansen report, 362 cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in that time frame, bringing the state’s count to 21,102.

6:45 p.m.: President Donald Trump said Wednesday he told Gov. Brian Kemp he disagreed "very strongly" with his decision to roll back coronavirus restrictions and allow shuttered businesses such as nail salons and barber shops to reopen this week. Greg Bluestein has the full story.

6 p.m.:

A coalition of the state’s largest mosques will remain closed during Ramadan, which is the holiest month for Muslims. Shelia Poole reports t

he agreement is among the Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Islamic Circle of North America, Muslims of the United States of America, and Majlis Ash-Shura.

5:30 p.m.:

he governor’s decision to lift some restrictions on businesses

could put some workers in a tough spot, forced to choose between their sense of safety and their need for a paycheck.Michael E. Kanell has the details.

5 p.m.: Atlanta's drive-in theater reopens tonight, Raisa Habersham reports, but attendees must remain in their cars.

4:30 p.m.: A new statewide initiative that will open four more novel coronavirus testing sites in metro Atlanta will process as many as 260 people an hour at each location, Willoughby Mariano reports.

1 p.m.: Effective April 25, Cobb County will open the Silver Comet Trail, Noonday Creek Trail, Bob Callen Trail and several passive parks, Kristal Dixon reports. Passive parks do not have amenities like sports fields, playgrounds, ball parks or tennis courts, so they "allow for more social distancing under public health guidelines."

Noon:

State health officials have verified an additional 574 cases of the new coronavirus and 18 more deaths Wednesday, Chelsea Prince reports.

The latest data from the Georgia Department of Public Health shows 20,740 confirmed cases and 836 deaths statewide.

10:30 a.m.: Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms continues to urge residents to stay home, our Political Insider bloggers report. "(T)here's nothing essential about going to a bowling alley in the middle of a pandemic," Bottoms said.

10 a.m.: A Smyrna restaurant owner has sold her car to make sure her employees have a little cash in their pockets during the coronavirus pandemic. Kristal Dixon shares her story.

10 a.m.: A concierge medical company is offering tests to residents who aren't comfortable leaving their homes and are worried they might have the virus, Raisa Habersham reports. The test takes only a few minutes, and gives patients their results in 48 hours, and sometimes less.

7 a.m.: Gov. Brian Kemp defended his aggressive move to roll back restrictions he instituted to contain the coronavirus, as mayors of Georgia cities warn they're not ready for a wave of businesses to reopen this week and federal health officials raised concerns. Greg Bluestein has the full story.

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DAILY CORONAVIRUS UPDATES

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