The four-year-old daughter of Diedre Wilkes was found beside her lifeless body on Thursday. Authorities said that she could have been dead for around 12 to 16 hours.
Coweta County Coroner Richard Hawk tells People magazine that initial COVID-19 tests showed Wilkes positive for coronavirus. Still, her autopsy report is pending.
Hawk also confirmed that when they arrived at the house of Wilkes, they found Wilkes' daughter alone and alive. Wilkes worked as a mammogram technician in Piedmont Newnan Hospital in Newnan, Georgia.
Not Sure If The Daughter Also Has the Virus
Authorities said that it could be possible that the daughter is a carrier of the coronavirus. She is now in the care of her father, Hawkes told the People.
Mother Tested Positive With COVID
No one knows how the mother has contracted the coronavirus, and she had no underlying symptoms when she died.
A statement was given to the Newnan Times-Herald by Piedmont Healthcare representative, John Manasso, who explained that they are treating Wilkes' case as inconclusive because they could not confirm how she contracted the virus.
The statement says Piedmont Healthcare contacted employees and patients who may have come into contact with Wilkes in the days up to her last day of work. This action is a precautionary measure because Wilkes is said to have tested positive for coronavirus, and infected people without symptoms could spread the virus to others.
Manasso added that Piedmont is going to provide the individuals with detailed information for self-monitoring and will offer COVID testing for those who request for the kit.
Wilkes Was Not Involved in Treating COVID Positive Patients
Manasso confirmed that Wilkes did not work in an area where patients that tested positive for the coronavirus are being treated.
He said that they are praying for the employee's family now that they are having a difficult time. The management of the Promenade at Newnan Crossing, where Wilkes lived, sent their residents a letter saying they reached out to the public health authorities regarding the mother's death.
It said that as indicated in their previous communications and given the current global health conditions, they previously implemented measures to close the community's common areas, amenities, and management offices and to enhance cleaning protocols.
More from the letter, there is also enhanced cleaning protocol, including daily wipe downs of the mail center, mail, and package center.
Reminders to Everyone
Mark reminds everyone to follow hygiene practices as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This practice includes washing of the hands for 20 seconds, self-quarantine, and keeping a safe distance of at least six feet from other people.
On that same day as Wilkes was found dead, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that a 48-year-old woman who worked at Donalsonville Hospital in Georgia also died of COVID-19. She passed away in a hospital in Tallahassee, Florida.
As of writing, there are 788,205 cases of COVID-19, with 37,883 deaths and 166,434 recoveries worldwide. The U.S. alone has 164,359 cases, with 3,173 deaths and 5,507 recovered.
