DPH: COVID-19 cases rising in younger patients

(ALBANY, GA) – Across Southwest Georgia, COVID-19 cases are rising up again, with Phoebe Hospital reporting more than 30 cases in the first few days of July.

Southwest Georgia Department of Public Health Director, Dr Charles Ruis says that now, hospitals are seeing confirmed cases in young adults.

Dr Ruis says, “A lot of people have gone back to their jobs, their socializing and recreation together. And in some cases, they’re not practicing all the good habits that public health and the medical community in general preaches about.”

Compared to back in the spring when most cases were typically associated with an older portion of the population, many public health officials are concerned over the spike in younger adults, especially with the new school year only weeks away.

“But if we have a lot of COVID in the community, it’s going out cause a high amount of absenteeism among the students and faculty. That’s going to be a huge impairment to having a successful school year,” says Dr. Ruis.

Regardless of the increase in case numbers, Dr Ruis says that guidelines need to be followed just as strictly as the first weeks of the pandemic.

Dr. Ruis tells us, “What we need to do is realize that a lot of the cases in the community are the results of not following the advice. So we need people to still focus on social distancing…”

Dr Ruis says that those needing an appointment to get tested can set one up online.

For more information, you can set up a testing appointment at http://www.southwestgeorgiapublichealth.org