While official records show Bulloch County’s COVID-19 death total at 13, there actually have been 16 Bulloch resident fatalities related to the coronavirus.
Bulloch County Public Safety/Emergency Management Agency Director Ted Wynn said the Department of Public Health has not yet listed the recent passing of longtime Statesboro High School basketball coach Lee Hill as one of Bulloch County’s COVID-19 fatalities. The 13th death of a Bulloch resident was another man, age 65.
Bulloch County EMS responded to calls of two people Monday who were diagnosed with the virus and were deceased upon EMS arrival, he said. This makes 16 the actual number of Bulloch residents who have died with the virus, even if official records still reflect 13, he said.
Between Monday and Tuesday afternoons, there were 11 new cases of COVID-19 in Bulloch, bringing the total to 1,123 confirmed cases to date.
East Georgia Regional Medical Center was treating 24 COVID patients on Tuesday, with nine on ventilators.
“EMS responded to five COVID-19 calls in the last 24 hours,” Wynn said Tuesday. “Three were transported, and two were deceased at the scene.”
While the number of new cases has slowed over the past three days, there have been 297 confirmed cases in Bulloch County over the past two weeks, he said. There have been 83 probable and 63 confirmed coronavirus patients transported by EMS to date, and a total of 81 hospitalizations.
“All Georgians are encouraged to implement ‘Four Things for Four Weeks’ into their daily routines to flatten the curve and slow the spread of COVID-19,” he said.
This means wear a mask when out in public or when you cannot keep distance inside; practice physical distancing — 6 feet from those you do not live with; wash your hands for 20 seconds several times throughout the day with soap and warm water or use hand sanitizer; and follow the executive orders and guidance by public health officials, he said.
Free COVID testing by appointment is available at the Specimen Point of Collection site located at 1 W. Altman St. in Statesboro. For an appointment, call (855) 473-4374, or schedule a test online at https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-19/.
Herald reporter Holli Deal Saxon may be reached at (912) 489-9414.