The death of a 52-year-old man reported Tuesday was the eighth fatality linked to COVID-19 in Bulloch County.

The number of positive coronavirus cases in Bulloch County since the pandemic began was 824 Tuesday, up by 21 from Monday, said Bulloch County Public Safety/Emergency Director Ted Wynn.

The man who died from the virus this week had “underlying health issues,” he said. The youngest fatality here was a 42-year-old woman, and the oldest Bulloch County resident to die from COVID-19 was “90-plus,” he said.  However, the average age of persons contracting the virus is much younger. “The median age of positive COVID-19 tests here (in the Southeast Health District) is 29,” he said.

To date, 67 of the 824 cases were serious enough to require hospitalization. Tuesday, there were 19 COVID-19 patients at East Georgia Regional Medical Center, five of whom are on ventilators, he said. Bulloch County EMS transported one possible COVID patient Monday and one Tuesday - 66 probable/possible positives and 45 confirmed positive transports since the pandemic started.

Statewide, Georgia reported 148,988 confirmed cases as of Tuesday afternoon. 3,254 deaths were reported, along with 15,494 hospitalizations, including 2,904 admissions to ICUs.

Wynn reminds people to wear masks, stay six feet away from others, and wash hands or use sanitizer often.

To schedule a COVID-19 test online, visit https://www.sehdps.org/covid-19/  or otherwise, call 855-473-4374 for an appointment at the Specimen Point of Collection (SPOC) at the Bulloch County Health Department at 1 Altman Street in Statesboro.

Herald reporter Holli Deal Saxon may be reached at 912-489-9414.