A Columbus, Georgia, police officer has reportedly tested positive for the coronavirus.

Police Chief Ricky Boren told WRBL on Monday his department is working to confirm the report. The officer's name and assignment will not be released, Boren said.

The Columbus Police Department employs more than 400 officers on its force.

»COMPLETE COVERAGE: CORONAVIRUS

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, there were 37 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Muscogee County as of Sunday night.

On Sunday, the Georgia Department of Public Health confirmed a total of 6,742 COVID-19 cases in Georgia. The total number of Georgians killed by the highly contagious disease stood at 219 that evening.

Overall, the U.S. is bracing for a painful week, with a wave of coronavirus deaths expected across the nation.

“This is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment, our 9/11 moment,” U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams said Sunday.

Nearly half of states can't fulfill unemployment requests

New York City, the U.S. epicenter, New Orleans and Detroit face especially worrying days ahead.

President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence are striking optimistic tones, insisting that hard weeks ahead will ultimately lead to the nation beginning to turn a corner.

That optimism seemed warranted Monday morning, when stocks jumped in markets around the world, offering hope the worst of the coronavirus outbreak may be on the horizon.

U.S. stocks climbed more than 4% in the first few minutes of trading, following up on similar gains in Europe and Asia. In another sign that investors are feeling more optimistic about the economy’s path, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose toward its first gain in four days.

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Joe Rich had moved to 3935 Paces Manor 2.5 year ago. on Tuesday, Sept. 22,2009, he was trapped at his house with no way out - but a boat. He has been ferrying various things back and forth and is surprised he still has power. Vinings residents were dealing with a major flooding issue Tuesday, as the Chattahoochee River made its way along the banks near Paces Ferry Road.  Many residents with upscale homes were hit hard, some for the second time since an earlier post millennia flooding episode. Since early Monday, seven lives have been taken and several other people remain missing. The record-setting rains also have closed schools and roads and have left people stranded in their homes. The river's level near Vinings was at 27.36 feet before daybreak Tuesday after cresting at 28.1 feet overnight. Flood stage is 14 feet, and anything above 20 feet is considered "major" flooding. (Photo: John Spink, jspink@ajc.com)

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Former CDC employee Barbara Marston (right) protests the recent firings and budget cuts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. Tuesday, April 01, 2025 (Ben Hendren for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Credit: Ben Hendren