Two more probate court judges in Georgia have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the state’s total infected to 17.

Kevin Holder, executive director of the state Council of Probate Court Judges, did not identify the two judges with recent infections, citing privacy concerns. But he said Thursday that they contracted the disease through community contacts, not in a court setting. One has mild to moderate symptoms, and the other is showing no symptoms, Holder said.

Georgia has 159 counties, with a probate judge in each, so the infection rate among their ranks is now more than 10 percent.

Probate judges, as the title indicates, process wills and estates. In Georgia, they also handle weapons permits, marriage licenses and guardianships. In many counties, they handle birth and death certificates.

Because of the routine government business they handle, probate courts are highly accessible to the general public.

Three probate judges have died from COVID-19, including Chattooga County Probate Judge Jon Payne, who passed away in August.

WABE