The body of a coronavirus-infected Georgia health care worker was found in her house with her young child for more than 12 hours after she died of the coronavirus.
The 42-year-old woman was likely dead for 12 to 16 hours before she was found during a welfare check on Thursday at her Coweta County home. Her 4-year-old child was by her body.
Diedre Wilkes was a mammogram technician at a Coweta County, Georgia hospital whose body was discovered in the living room of her house.
According to Coweta County Coroner Richard Hawk, tests undertaken after her death confirmed that she was diagnosed with COVID-19. It was not made clear if the child has also contracted the illness.
The Georgian woman in her home days after a friend reported her missing.
According to authorities, the child was alone for around 12 to 16 hours.
The woman had flu-like symptoms for about a week before she died, said Hawk.
According to Hawk, the woman did not have any known underlying conditions. It was not clear if or how long she had symptoms.
It was not immediately precise how she contracted the disease.
Georgia has registered more than 1,000 cases of coronavirus, with 38 fatalities. An autopsy is being conducted as of now.
A spokesperson at Piedmont Newnan Hospital issued a statement on Wednesday that the hospital staff was "deeply saddened when the coroner notified us ... of the sudden passing of our colleague."
The woman declined to take a test if she was positive of the virus prior to her death.
Another coronavirus death of healthcare worker in Georgia
One the same day, another Georgia medical worker, 48, died in Jacksonville, Florida, upon being diagnosed with the novel coronavirus. The healthcare provider worked at Donaldson Hospital.
The hospital said, "Healthcare workers are on the front lines of fighting the virus and deserve the utmost respect and honor for doing their jobs."
According to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University, as of Tuesday night, Coweta County has confirmed 10 cases of the coronavirus.
The total of coronavirus cases in the U.S. soared past 53,000.
Authorities are struggling to keep up with problems stemming from the virus. In some cases, vulnerable and marginalized people have fallen by the wayside.
Out of caution, the hospital where Wilkes worked contacted employees and patients she may have had contact with.
Piedmont declared that "because we were told that an initial COVID-19 test performed after her death was positive, and because we know people can expose others before they show evidence of the disease, as a cautionary measure, we have contacted the employees and patients who may have had contact with this employee in the days leading up to the colleague's last day at work."
According to their statement, "Piedmont is providing these individuals with detailed information for self-monitoring and will offer COVID-19 testing to those who request it."
The Georgia Department of Health released a statement indicating that Wilkes had a chronic health condition.
The U.S. has confirmed at least 706 fatalities.
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