Bulloch County equaled its lowest single-day total of new COVID-19 cases since June 16, but Public Safety/Emergency Management Agency Director Ted Wynn announced the county saw its 29th death Thursday.
Wynn said the victim was a 74-tear-old man with comorbid conditions.
Bulloch had two new cases Thursday, matching Sept. 28 for the fewest new cases in one day since two were recorded on June 16. Bulloch now has recorded 2,942 COVID cases, which have resulted in 29 deaths and 134 local residents being hospitalized since the pandemic began in March.
In his report Thursday, Wynn said East Georgia Regional Medical Center staff were caring for eight patients, with three patients on ventilators.
Bulloch EMS has transported a total of 125 people with probable COVID-19 and 133 with confirmed cases, he said. EMS has not transported any probable or confirmed COVID patients since Sept. 29.
Earlier this week, Wynn expressed concerns with the fact that fewer people are getting tested at both the Department of Public Health testing center on Altman Street and the East Georgia Health Care site at Luetta Moore Park.
“We must test, trace and isolate to beat this virus,” Wynn said. “Please get tested if you feel you have been exposed or have symptoms.”
Georgia reported 1,297 new cases on Thursday, bringing the state’s total number of confirmed cases up to 327,407. Georgia reported 36 deaths Thursday, raising the death toll to 7,294.
As of Thursday afternoon, 212,286 Americans had died from coronavirus, and the U.S. had recorded 7,578,203 confirmed cases, according to statistics from the Johns Hopkins University of Medicine.
Bulloch schools
For the second day in a row, Bulloch County Schools recorded no new cases among students and staff Thursday and now has had a total of 97 COVID cases since Aug. 17. Through Thursday, only four additional staff members or students have been placed under quarantine this week, including none on Thursday. The school system had 64 new quarantines last week, which was the fewest in a single week since schools opened on Aug. 17.
Local colleges
For the week of Sept. 28-Oct. 4, Georgia Southern University reported 12 total cases — 11 self-reported and one university-confirmed. Ten of the cases were on the Statesboro campus. It marked the fifth consecutive week of a decline in cases.
GS will report again on Monday.
For Thursday, East Georgia State College reported no new cases of COVID-19. The college has had a total of 83 cases across its three campuses since Aug. 17.
Ogeechee Technical College reported two COVID cases on its Bulloch County campus the week of Sept. 28-Oct. 4. The college has had a total of 32 cases across its campuses since Aug. 17.
OTC will report again on Monday.
Testing sites
The Bulloch County Health Department, 1 W. Altman St. in Statesboro, continues to serve as a COVID-19 testing site, or specimen point of collection. It operates 8 a.m. till noon Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. To schedule a free test, call (855) 473-4374 or visit www.sehdph.org/covid-19, where a test can be scheduled online.
Additional free COVID-19 testing continues Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Luetta Moore Park, 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.