EFFINGHAM COUNTY -- The Coastal Health District has confirmed the first death of an Effingham County resident from COVID-19. The individual was a 56-year-old male and it is currently unknown if he had underlying medical conditions.

 This is the fifth COVID-19 related death in the Coastal Health District; three residents of Chatham County and one resident of Bryan County have also died from complications of COVID-19. 

Statewide, at least 211 people have died from COVID-19 and more than 6,640 people have tested positive for the illness.

 To limit spread, all Georgians are asked to stay home as much as possible and avoid unnecessary contact with persons outside your household. 

If you do need to be in public where it’s not possible to keep a distance of at least six feet from others, the CDC recommends wearing a cloth face covering. 

Even people who are not ill may be infected and contagious so CDC recommends that everyone wear a cloth face covering in places like grocery stores and pharmacies to limit transmission of the virus. 

For accurate information about COVID-19 inthe area, visit the Georgia Department of Public Health at dph.ga.gov, or the Coastal Health District at covid10.gachd.org.