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CORONAVIRUS IN GEORGIA: State hits 25,000 cases as more testing becomes available

ATLANTA — Here’s a roundup of what’s happening so far today, April 29: (Click here for the previous day)

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  • Georgia has hit the mark of 25,634 confirmed COVID-19 cases. The Georgia Department of Public Health updated its website for more hourly numbers.
  • Emory University has played a leading role in a clinical trial of a COVID-19 drug. Remdesivir is being fast tracked by the FDA so that it can be used to treat patients after trials showed patients with advanced COVID-19 recovered faster.
  • Los Angeles-based CORE Response and the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation on Thursday plan to open a coronavirus testing site at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The testing center, which will operate at the Home Depot Backyard adjacent to the stadium, will offer free tests to people with appointments from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The site will operate Monday-Friday for at least the next several weeks.
  • Gov. Brian Kemp announced that 95 different facilities in Georgia have signed up to use a decontamination system for N95 masks. The system uses hydrogen peroxide to decontaminate the masks at no cost aside from shipping. The decontamination system can handle up to 80,000 N95 masks per day. Masks can be decontaminated up to 20 times without degrading their performance.
  • The amount of COVID-19 tests administered in Georgia hit a record on Tuesday with 13,000 reported. There are now 49 testing sites across the state in addition to nine run by the Georgia National Guard. Find a COVID-19 testing site in Georgia.
  • Department of Health numbers seem to indicate there is a flattening of the curve.
  • Gov. Brian Kemp’s shelter-in-place order ends tomorrow. Here’s how our local governments plan to reopen when the order ends.
  • Costco will now require members and guests to wear masks or face coverings when they shop. The new policy goes into effect May 4. Costco says the requirement does not apply to children under the age of 2 or those who are unable to wear a mask or face covering due to a medical condition.
  • Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) announced it will host a virtual commencement on Saturday May 16.
  • The University of Georgia announced Tuesday that it hopes to reopen campuses for in-person instruction in August for the fall semester. UGA’s Maymester and summer semester will be held online.
  • Fulton County has opened a new walk-up testing sight at the McGee Tennis Center through April 20. No appointment is necessary.