Atlanta mayor encouraged by downward trend in COVID-19 cases

ATLANTA - Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms told reporters she remains cautiously optimistic about the downward trend of COVID-19 in the city of Atlanta. As of September 15, there were 1,496 cases of COVID-19 in the city, compared to 3,273 hundred on August 15 and more than 3,871 July 15. Wednesday, from her home office, the mayor discussed the impact those numbers have on the shifts in public guidelines for businesses.

"We are very happy to move back to Phase Two were in phase two previously, but when the numbers began to spike we had to go back to phase one base on the data and metrics. The Phase Two guidelines call for residents to continue practicing social distancing, limiting gatherings to ten people or less," Mayor Lance Bottoms told reporters during a virtual news conference.

Sign up for FOX 5 email alerts

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms addresses the next phase of reopening on Sept 16, 2020. (FOX 5)

The mayor said her administration remains in constant contact with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other public health officials to gauge the city's next phase of reopening restrictions and guidelines.

“If we continue to move in this direction, by September 24, we will move on to phase three of the reopening guidelines. So, we are hopeful the numbers will continue to go in the right direction, but I just want to remind people that COVID is still deadly," said the mayor, who recovered from COVID-19 earlier this Summer.

The mayor also announced she has suspended residential water service disconnection, towing and booting in the city right of way and penalties for unpaid business taxes through October 31.

Download the FOX 5 Atlanta app for breaking news and weather alerts.