Gov. Kemp extends State of Emergency, Public Health Emergency

ATLANTA - Gov. Brian Kemp issued an executive order Friday extending the State of Emergency and Public Health Emergency for all of Georgia.

Under the renewed order, the State of Emergency is set to expire on Monday, August 10 unless renewed by the governor.

View a copy of the order here.

The State of Emergency was declared on July 6 and renewed for the first time on July 13, in response to a surge in violence. The order allows for the continued assistance from the Georgia National Guard to keep the peace.

Up to 1,000 National Guard troops has been deployed to various Georgia cities, including Atlanta. 

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms previously said she did not agree with Kemp's order to mobilize the National Guard in her city as the surge in violence became a political talking point.

The Public Health State of Emergency was initially declared on March 24 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Kemp has renewed the order several times.

Georgia reported over 4,800 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus on Friday, the highest one-day total since the start of the pandemic, capping a week that also saw the state report its highest-yet death toll.

As coronavirus cases surge, Georgia hospitals see large jump in patients

Those confirmed cases came with a new single-day high-water mark in overall tests conducted, at more than 45,000. Georgia Department of Public Health spokeswoman Nancy Nydam says the increase in total tests reported Friday “was from backlogs at a couple of the labs from last week.”

The state has recorded over 160,000 total confirmed cases, though experts say that many more people are likely infected but never tested.

There were 3,135 currently hospitalized with the virus in Georgia on Friday, nearly double the 1,570 people hospitalized on July 1.

Deaths have been rising sharply in the state.

This week saw Georgia report its second-, third- and fourth highest death counts since the start of the pandemic, with 78 deaths reported Tuesday, 81 deaths reported Wednesday, and 82 more deaths reported Friday.

Full Coverage: COVID-19 in Georgia

Georgia has reported 274 coronavirus deaths so far this week alone, its highest tally yet in a single calendar week, bringing the total number of deaths in the state to at least 3,442.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.