Georgia’s Coronavirus Death Toll Passes 3,000

Three thousand and one. That’s the number of people in Georgia who have died after contracting the coronavirus, according to data released Sunday by the state Department of Public Health.

Confirmed cases and hospitalizations have been rising sharply in the state over the past few weeks.

Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has been locked in a battle with local officials over whether they have the power to implement virus restrictions that go beyond his orders. Kemp says no, but local governments across the state are doing it anyway, with several cities including Atlanta implementing mask requirements and other restrictions.

More than 2,500 new confirmed cases of the virus were reported Sunday, according to the health department. That brings the total number of confirmed cases to nearly 117,000, though experts say official counts likely only capture a fraction of those who have been infected.

As of Sunday, 2,512 people with the virus were hospitalized in Georgia.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.

Case counts have been trending up throughout the country, especially across the South and West. Florida reported more than 15,000 new confirmed cases Sunday, the largest single-day increase any state has had.