ATLANTA, GA — The latest hot spots for the spread of COVID-19 may be the Black Lives Matter protests now roiling Georgia, according to the state’s top doctor.

Dr. Kathleen Toomey, head of Georgia’s Department of Public Health, said as much during Tuesday’s news briefing by Gov. Brian Kemp on the demonstrations.

“This situation is no different than any other situation we have talked about,” Toomey said. “When you have this many people gathered together in close proximity, you run the risk of viral transmission.”

Both Kemp and Toomey advised protesters and first responders to get tested as soon as possible. They also urged Georgians to keep using precautions such as social distancing as the state reopens for business.

Protests or not, the disease has continued to spread throughout Georgia. Wednesday’s report from the Georgia Department of Public Health shows three more counties — Gilmer, Liberty and Lincoln — recorded their first deaths this week from COVID-19. That leaves only 22 rural counties of Georgia’s 159 total to report a coronavirus fatality.

As of Wednesday, there have been 48, 894 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Georgia, 2,123 deaths, 8,419 hospitalizations and 1,841 people admitted to the ICU. More than 574,000 Georgians have been tested for the coronavirus, with a reported positive rate of 8.5 percent using both viral and antibody tests.

Click Here: brisbane lions guernsey 2019