The Times appreciates Northeast Georgia Health System sponsoring coverage directly related to public safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, which allows our coverage to be free to nonsubscribers as a public service. Our news coverage is always independently reported, as we work to provide accurate and up-to-date information about the effects of COVID-19 in the state and region. Please consider supporting our coverage by subscribing to The Times.



The Times learned in mid-April that COVID-19 was disproportionately affecting the area's Latino community and health leaders were working with the community and poultry leaders to address the issue. Kemp cited those efforts as he highlighted a concerning growth cases in Hall during a press conference in late April, even as numbers had begun declining statewide. A task force has since been put together to address the issue in the area's Latino community. The per capita case rate in Hall is the highest in North Georgia at 994 as of May 12.



Below are numbers from the Georgia Department of Public Heath, which is reporting cases of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19 by county of residence. DPH uses multiple sources, including death certificates and data input by Northeast Georgia Health System, and verifies that data, which creates a delay between actual cases and deaths and the numbers it reports. The state provided a new interface April 27 including information such as testing numbers, which stood at 251,288 May 11.

Northeast Georgia Health System officials are updating NGHS-specific information by 1 p.m. every weekday. The hospital treats patients from across Northeast Georgia. The system erected mobile units in March at the Gainesville and Braselton hospitals. Gov. Brian Kemp announced April 13 that Gainesville will get a temporary medical unit. The hospital expects to have that unit open by the end of May.