ASHBURN – Turner County has experienced its first death due to the coronavirus, according to the South Health District.

The person who succumbed to the illness was an 83-year-old man with underlying medical conditions, per a district statement released Monday afternoon.

 “We continue to be saddened to hear of the death of residents in our district,” said Dr. William R. Grow, district health director. “Our hearts go out to the loved ones of this individual during this time of loss.”

With 37 COVID-19 cases, Turner County has experienced a high number of infections, possessing nearly four times as many cases per capita than the state as of noon, according to The Valdosta Daily Times COVID-19 database.

A majority of the 37 cases were due to an outbreak at a nursing home in the county which included staff and residents of the long-term care facility, according to the district statement.

The death was mistakenly counted toward Tift County during the noon Monday update of the Georgia Department of Public Health’s daily status report, according to the district statement, but that error was corrected and will reflect for Turner County at 7 p.m. update.

For more data on Lowndes and the surrounding counties, the VDT has created a database to track COVID-19 across the South Health District.

To reach the database, click the link here.

The GDPH status report is updated twice a day — once at noon and once at 7 p.m. The VDT database is updated daily after noon.

This story was updated at 2:53 p.m. April 13.