Coronavirus case updates

ATLANTA — Georgia has neared 36,000 COVID-19 cases.

As of 7 p.m. Thursday, the state reported 35,977 confirmed coronavirus cases and 1,544 related deaths.

The 35,977 cases are up from 35,858 cases and 1,527 deaths at noon Thursday.

The public health department reports 6,347 people have been hospitalized due to coronavirus and 1,528 people have been admitted into intensive care units; however, the website notes the number could be underreported. 

All 159 counties have reported cases.

Nearly 3,600 health care workers have tested positive for coronavirus — 82% of whom are female and 18% of whom are male.

Now, after state officials urged Georgians to get tested, nearly 286,000 people have been tested.

The Georgia State Public Health Lab has reported 2,545 positive results and commercial labs have reported 33,403 positive results.

The department reported black Georgians account for 12,692 cases while white Georgians account for 10,988 cases. The race of 4,669 cases is still unknown and more than 5,000 cases are designated as missing.

As of Tuesday, Gov. Brian Kemp said during a coronavirus update, nursing home residents and staff make up 18.5% of the state’s total positive cases and residents make up 49% of the state’s total deaths.

Georgia has deployed National Guardsmen to 142 nursing homes across the state to conduct aggressive infection control measures. According to Kemp, 46% of all residents and 24% of staff at such facilities have been tested.

The state estimates there are still 46,000 residents and staff who need to be tested.