Coronavirus in Georgia: Deaths from COVID-19 continue to rise

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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 Friday, April 3, with news and details of COVID-19 in Georgia.

» Complete coverage: Coronavirus

7 p.m.:

The Georgia Department of Public Health recorded 14 more coronavirus deaths since noon, bringing Georgia’s toll near 200. Asia Simone Burns and Zachary Hansen report there have been

an additional 136 cases, bringing the state’s total to 5,967. In total, 198 Georgians have died from the virus.

5 p.m.:

Emory’s medical staff is doing what it can to gear up for a “super surge” that’s coming in about three weeks, one of its chief doctors told the AJC’s Helena Oliviero.

Hospitals across the state are already grappling with a diminishing amount of protective gear for their staffs and bed space for patients sick with COVID-19. Yet the number of patients is expected to keep building.

3 p.m.

At least a couple of Georgia school districts will end school early this year in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Ty Tagami reports

Carrollton City Schools, west of metro Atlanta, will release for summer break May 1. Another district will end a week after that, and at least a couple of others are considering earlier end dates.

Noon:

The novel coronavirus is maintaining a firm grip on Georgia, Asia Simone Burns reports. State health officials on Friday reported 387 new cases and a growing death toll.

The latest data from the Georgia Department of Public Health shows 5,831 confirmed cases. Eight more Georgians have died as a result of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, bringing the state’s total to 184.

11:30 a.m.:

Delta Air Lines is allowing customers who cancel their flights due to the coronavirus up to two years to rebook, airport blogger Kelly Yamanouchi reports.

Atlanta-based Delta said for customers who canceled trips in March, April or May or have eCredits from flights in those months, it is waiving change fees and extending flight credits through May 31, 2022.

» Coronavirus in Georgia: stats in real time

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10:45 a.m.: The Atlanta Public Schools superintendent said she hasn't made a decision yet about how to honor the class of 2020, Vanessa McCray reports, but wants to find a way to recognize graduates even though school buildings have been closed for the school year.

10 a.m.: The South may be putting its own spin on this worldwide pandemic, our Political Insider bloggers write. Those with a fatal dose of the coronavirus here tend to be younger than in other areas of the nation — or world, for that matter.

Georgia House Speaker David Ralston said earlier this week that increased use of voting by mail would hurt GOP candidates. Now, he says he meant that widespread absentee voting could lead to election fraud, @markniesse reports #gapol https://t.co/40E574tVpS
— Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) April 3, 2020

» Local pizza chain Fellini's closes all locations, and more metro Atlanta dining news from the week

9:30 a.m.: Two weeks after she was diagnosed with the coronavirus, Marietta City Councilwoman Cheryl Richardson is slowly resuming the life she led before the virus upended her routine. Kristal Dixon tells you Richardson's message for others.

6 a.m.: The coronavirus pandemic has forced elections officials to re-examine how to conduct voting while preventing the spread of disease. Amanda C. Coyne has the details.

6 a.m.: As restaurants shutter amid the coronavirus pandemic, it's not just their owners and staff struggling to stay afloat. The ripple effects are slamming a vast local supply chain. Farmers. Beer and wine distributors. Janitors. Grease-trap cleaners. Florists. Makers of curated wood for kitchen hearths. Andy Peters and Ligaya Figueras tell you how the dining world is affected.

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