Camping Areas Closed In Several Counties: GA Coronavirus

GEORGIA — The Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests is temporarily shutting down all campgrounds and sites in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The decision was made to "protect public health and safety."

On their website is posted: "All national forest developed campgrounds, group recreation sites, picnic pavilions and all restrooms, as well as many trails, dispersed recreation sites and roads are temporarily shut down."

"We continually consult with local leaders in our communities, in order to be in alignment with local decisions that protect human health and safety," said Edward Hunter, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests' acting forest supervisor in a public statement.

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"The health and safety of our employees and the public remain our top priority," FEMA officials in Fannin County said.

Camping sites in the following counties are closed: Union County, Lumpkin County, Towns County, Fannin County, White County and Rabun County.

See full list of closures and details here.

As of Saturday morning, Fulton County's 941 cases are the most of any Georgia locality. The next highest totals are 636 in Dougherty County, DeKalb with 500 cases, Cobb with 428 cases, Gwinnett with 364 cases, Bartow with 160 cases, Carroll with 149 cases and Clayton with 224 cases.

Of those counties, Dougherty has the most deaths in the state with 30. Fulton has had 26 deaths, Cobb had 20, Lee, Clarke, Gwinnett and DeKalb, all had eight, Bartow, seven, Cherokee, five and Fayette, four. Houston, five and Clayton had nine, and Henry, three, Coweta, Terrell and Rockdale had two, Chatham, three, Floyd, three and Barrow had two deaths. Douglas and Sumter both had four.

Of Georgia's coronavirus cases, 59 percent are between ages 18 and 59, while those above the age of 60 make up 36 percent. People up to age 17 represent 1 percent of cases, and the remaining percentage of cases have unknown ages.

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This article originally appeared on the Across Georgia Patch

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