[8:07 p.m.]: The Georgia Department of Public Health tweaked the number of coronavirus cases and deaths reported from the 7 p.m. update to add two more deaths and four more confirmed cases.
In total, 102 people have died due to the virus. There have been 3,032 cases of COVID-19, which has hospitalized 773 people (about 25.5%).
UPDATE [7 p.m.]: Georgia has surpassed 3,000 confirmed coronavirus cases across the state, which have led to 100 deaths, the Georgia Department of Public Health said Monday night.
The DPH 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 recorded since noon, which brings Georgia’s toll due to the virus to 100. Dougherty County has suffered the most deaths with 18, followed by Fulton with 15 and Cobb with 11.
Nearly 13,500 tests have been conducted across the state, which means about 22.5% of tests have returned positive results.
At least 69% of those who died had preexisting conditions, and only 20 were under the age of 60. The youngest victim in Georgia was 29, while the oldest was 95.
Six counties — Bleckley, Clay, Dade, Jefferson, Johnson and Talbot — recorded their first case Monday, bringing the number of counties affected to 127. Georgia has 159 counties.
Fulton County saw the largest increase in new cases with 40, followed by Gwinnett at 20 and Carroll at 16. Fulton has nearly double the number of cases of any other county with 503.
As of 7 p.m. Monday, there were 294 cases in DeKalb, 250 in Cobb, 178 in Gwinnett, 125 in Bartow, 69 in Cherokee, 68 in Henry, 62 in Clayton, 43 in Douglas, 42 in Fayette, 35 in Forsyth, 34 in Hall, 29 in Rockdale, 26 in Paulding and 22 in Newton.
Patients between the ages of 18 and 59 make up the majority of cases at 57%, while those 60 and older make up 35% of cases. The DPH does not release compiled data on how many patients have recovered.
For the full update, click here.
ORIGINAL STORY [noon]: For the third day in a row, the number of new coronavirus cases has slowed significantly in Georgia, even as deaths continue to climb.
There are now at least 2,809 confirmed cases of the virus statewide, according to the latest data released Monday by the Georgia Department of Public Health.
The latest figures are an increase of less than 5% from Sunday's cases, much less than the roughly 30% daily growth the state saw last week. However, with Georgia still rationing its limited supply of test kits to the most vulnerable, those numbers are likely not a true depiction the virus's impact in Georgia.
Far more have the coronavirus than those the state has identified, according to Dr. Kathleen Toomey, Georgia’s public health commissioner.
» AJC IN-DEPTH: 'Explosive spread' of coronavirus in Georgia likely to worsen
Eighty-seven Georgians have died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel virus, up from 83 reported Sunday. Of those deaths, about two-thirds had preexisting conditions, and only 19 were under the age of 60, according to the latest data. Less than one-third of those infected are hospitalized.
» COMPLETE COVERAGE: Coronavirus in Georgia
Numbers have tripled in the past week. Just last Monday, there were 800 confirmed cases and 26 deaths across the state, according to health officials. Since then, cases have been confirmed in three-quarters of Georgia’s 159 counties.
Eight new counties are reporting cases Monday, but those in metro Atlanta remain the hardest hit. Only 38 Georgia counties do not currently have coronavirus cases.
Of the metro Atlanta counties, there are now 463 cases of the virus in Fulton, 281 in DeKalb, 245 in Cobb, 158 in Gwinnett, 121 in Bartow, 81 in Carroll, 61 each in Cherokee and Clayton, 58 in Henry, 39 in Douglas, 34 in Hall, 24 in Paulding and 18 each in Newton and Rockdale.
» DASHBOARD: Real-time stats and charts tracking coronavirus in Georgia
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Fulton County has seen 14 deaths related to COVID-19 as of Monday, with one more since Sunday night. Three additional deaths were also reported Monday in Clarke County.
The situation in Dougherty County continues to worsen. The southwest Georgia county of about 90,000 people reported 20 new cases since Sunday, according to health officials. Its total of 267 confirmed cases falls behind the much larger Fulton and DeKalb counties but ahead of all other metro Atlanta counties.
Seventeen people have died of COVID-19 in Dougherty County the past two weeks. Considering the latest figures, Dougherty has the state’s highest concentration per capita of patients known to be infected with COVID-19.
» MORE: City under siege: Coronavirus exacts heavy toll in Albany
Georgia has hunkered down in an attempt to stop COVID-19's explosive spread. Statewide, public schools, bars and nightclubs remain closed, many public gatherings are banned, and the elderly and medically fragile are ordered to shelter in place.
Many Georgia cities and counties, including several in metro Atlanta, have issued more restrictive stay-at-home orders to residents.
» PHOTOS: Metro Atlanta adjusts to shifts in daily life amid coronavirus crisis
» RELATED: Despite pleas from officials, Atlanta's parks and paths remain popular
On Sunday, President Donald Trump officially approved Georgia's disaster declaration, which requested emergency federal aid. The White House said in a statement Sunday that federal funds are available to the state, although it is unclear how much aid will be administered.
» MORE: Bottoms: Stay home so others 'have an opportunity to simply live'
Those who believe they are experiencing symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19 are asked to contact their primary care doctor or an urgent care clinic. Do not show up unannounced at an emergency room or health care facility.
Georgians can also call the state COVID-19 hotline at 844-442-2681 to share public health information and connect with medical professionals.
— Please return to AJC.com for updates.
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