MACON, Ga. — The number of COVID-19 outbreaks in Georgia long-term facilities nearly doubled in the past week.
Georgia's Department of Public Health released an update Friday saying 80 nursing homes and other long-term care sites have reported coronavirus cases. Last week's list included 47 homes.
That includes six homes in Central Georgia -- three times as many as last week.
The state counts one COVID-19 case in a long-term care facility as an "outbreak."
Four Central Georgia homes were added to the list this week:
- The Georgia War Veterans Home in Milledgeville, where there was a total of six cases among staff and residents.
- Pruitt Health Manor, Anthony Road, Macon, one case
- Carl Vinson VA Medical Center home, Dublin, one case
- Eatonton Health and Rehab, two cases
Last week's list included Zebulon Park Health and Rehab and Pruitt Health Rehab, both of Macon. Both have reported one case, the state says.
Zebulon Park Health this week told 13WMAZ that one resident died at a local hospital after testing positive for COVID-19. According to state records, she was a 96-year-old woman.
So far, Central Georgia has not seen large outbreaks seen in other parts of the state, like the Pruitt Health home in Albany, where 62 people tested positive and five have died, or a Randolph County home that reported 47 cases.
So far, more than 20 Georgians have died in long-term care homes due to COVID-19, according to the state list.
The state's numbers were current through April 8.
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