ALBANY, Ga. — Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital is reporting it has a “presumptively positive” patient for the COVID-19 strain of the coronavirus.

“We anticipated we would eventually treat COVID-19 positive patients. Our Coronavirus Task Force has been meeting daily and preparing for this eventuality,” said Scott Steiner, Phoebe Putney Health System Chief Executive Officer, in an update. “The safety of our patients, staff and physicians is our top priority. As soon as we were notified, we began the process of identifying those employees who may have come in close contact with this patient during their stay in our facility and determining their exposure risk to COVID-19 based on their associated level of patient contact.”

Tuesday night, Phoebe was notified that a patient who was treated in its main hospital before being transferred to a metro Atlanta hospital to be closer to their home has since tested positive for COVID-19, according to a Phoebe update.

The patient was visiting southwest Georgia, and there is no indication the virus was contracted in this part of the state, according to Phoebe.

“It is unlikely people who are not exhibiting symptoms will transmit the virus to others. The risk of contracting COVID-19 remains low for the general public, and most people who do contract the virus experience relatively mild symptoms that do not require hospitalization. Older individuals and those with chronic underlying conditions are at higher risk of becoming seriously ill,” said Steve Kitchen, MD, Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital Chief Medical Officer.

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