VALDOSTA – A patient diagnosed with COVID-19 in Florida had been treated in Valdosta from Thursday to Saturday before being transported.

Officials at South Georgia Medical Center were notified the patient who was treated at the SGMC main hospital and transferred to a Florida hospital has received a presumptive diagnosis of COVID-19, commonly called coronavirus. 

The patient, now at the hospital in Florida, was treated from March 5 to March 7 at SGMC.

Officials at the Florida hospital alerted SGMC officials Wednesday, according to Erika Bennett, director of marketing for SGMC.

The patient is the same individual in the announcement of a presumptive positive case of coronavirus by the Georgia Department of Public Health’s South Health District, said Kristin Patten, public information officer for the district. 

In regards to a Moody Air Force Base dining facility employee testing positive for COVID-19, Patten told the Valdosta Daily Times Thursday morning there is still only one case related to Lowndes County.

Citing the diagnosis and possible exposure of some SGMC team members to the patient, SGMC enacted its exposure protocol as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control, with consultation from the Department of Public Health, according to a statement from SGMC.

The SGMC response team is still evaluating the level of exposure (high, medium and low) for each staff member exposed to the patient, SGMC said.

“We want to ensure the community that SGMC is prepared to care for all types of patients, including those with COVID-19 symptoms and will continue to take all necessary precautions to maintain the safest environment for patients, staff and visitors,” said Dr. Brian Dawson, chief medical officer for SGMC.

This is a developing story and was updated at 9:27 a.m. March 12.