Nine of the two dozen COVID-19 patients at East Georgia Regional Medical Center on Thursday were on ventilators, as Bulloch County’s number of reported positive cases reached 855.

That number reflects 21 new cases since Wednesday, said Ted Wynn, director of Bulloch County Public Safety/Emergency Management Agency.

The hospital staff was “hard at it” caring for 24 people with the coronavirus, the largest number of ventilator patients so far, he said. While the number of ventilators and open beds available at the hospital was not immediately attainable Thursday, Wynn said he believes the hospital “is in good shape.”

Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been eight deaths and 70 hospitalizations of Bulloch County residents. Not all patients at EGRMC may be Bulloch residents, he said.

Between Wednesday and Thursday, Bulloch County EMS transported one person with a probable case of COVID-19. That brings the total transports to 67 “probable/possible positives” and 46 confirmed positive cases, he said.    
Wynn reminds people to “keep 6 feet away from someone who is not a part of your household, wear a face mask and wash your hands or use hand sanitizer frequently.”

In order to schedule a free COVID-19 test, visit here, or call 855-473-4374 to schedule an appointment at the local Specimen Point of Collection site at the Bulloch County Health Department at 1 W. Altman St. in Statesboro.