More COVID-19 Cases Spur Cobb Health Department To Issue Alert

EAST COBB, GA — Citing “evidence of increased transmission” of COVID-19, Cobb & Douglas Public Health issued an alert Wednesday ahead of the July 4 weekend.

“There is evidence of increased transmission throughout our community, outside of additional testing access, as supported by positivity rates at our testing sites that have surpassed 10 percent,” Cobb & Douglas Health Director Janet Memark said Wednesday in a statement “This trend has been on an upward trajectory over the last few weeks.”

Memark also noted that more than 300 businesses in Cobb and Douglas counties had “been directly affected” by COVID-19 in the past few weeks. Seventy-five outbreaks at businesses currently are being investigated.

On the positive side, Memark pointed to a declining death rate among those with COVID-19. She said she believed it was due to more young, healthy people being infected, as well as experience gained by healthcare professionals treating the virus.

The statement “strongly urged” those who are medically fragile or elderly to shelter in place as much as possible through at least July 15.

In addition, everyone should:

• Frequently wash their hands or use hand sanitizer
• Stand 6 feet away from others when outside their home
• Wear cloth masks when social distancing is not possible
• Stay at home when you are sick
• Continue to frequently disinfect homes and businesses
• Avoid large gatherings of more than 50 people.

For more information, visit www.cobbanddouglaspublichealth.org or www.dph.georgia.gov.

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