Georgia reports nearly 4,500 new COVID-19 cases, a new record since start of pandemic
The Georgia Department of Public Health reported more than 111,000 cumulative COVID-19 cases Friday while setting a record for the highest number of new cases reported in a single day.
Here are some key takeaways from the latest data:
- Cases: 111,211 (+4,484 in 24 hours). That’s the largest single-day increase in confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic. McClatchy measures new cases by subtracting the total number of infections reported at 3 p.m. from the total number of infections reported the previous day at 3 p.m. This reflects when confirmed cases are reported to the state.
- The seven-day average for newly reported cases is 2,959.71.
- Deaths: 2,965 (+35 deaths in 24 hours). It’s important to note that these numbers indicate when deaths are reported to the Georgia Department of Public Health. It does not reflect when these deaths occurred.
- Tests: Georgia reported 177,244 total antibody tests and 1,046,348 total viral tests (+29,926 new viral tests in 24 hours). These totals don’t account for tests that are not reported through the state’s electronic lab reporting system.
- Current Hospitalizations: 2,443, a new record. That’s an increase of 121 patients in 24 hours. Current hospitalization numbers are reported by Georgia hospitals to the Department of Public Health. The count includes any patient in a Georgia hospital who has tested positive for COVID-19 at the time of the report. This count does not include patients who are being investigated for possible infection by health officials. The Associated Press reported Thursday that 82% of Georgia’s critical care beds are now in use. As of Thursday, some hospital regions in Georgia, like Columbus’ Region I, had less than 10 critical care beds are available, according to the state’s emergency management agency. Not every patient in a critical care bed has COVID-19. Friday’s report has yet to be published.
- Total COVID-19 hospitalizations as of July 9: 12,606, an increase of 331 in 24 hours.
- Cases per 100,000: Echols (4,837.49), Chattahoochee (4,298.07), Stewart (3,442.65), Randolph (3,124.07) and Early (2,917.41) counties have the highest coronavirus rates per 100,000 people in the state.
The health department is not reporting how many Georgians have recovered.
Even as the testing capacity continues to increase, Georgia is still not meeting testing benchmarks set by health researchers. FiveThirtyEight, a digital news website known for data reporting, reports Georgia conducted an average of 12,278 COVID-19 tests per day in June, 81% short of Harvard Global Health Institute’s goal for the state of 64,048. Only South Carolina, Alabama, Arizona and Mississippi were further from meeting the goal. Goals differ for each state.
For a complete county-by-county list, visit the Georgia Department of Public Health’s website.
Regional Update
Muscogee County reported the largest single-day increase since the start of the pandemic. As of July 10, 2,628 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed, an increase of 190 in 24 hours. No new deaths were reported, leaving the total of coronavirus-related deaths at 55.
- In Middle Georgia, Bibb County reported 1,622 cases, up 58 cases in 24 hours. As of July 10, 41 coronavirus-related deaths have been confirmed in Bibb. No new deaths were reported.
- Houston County reported 938 COVID-19 cases, an increase of 67 cases in 24-hours. As of July 10, 30 coronavirus-related deaths have been confirmed, an increase of one.
- Gwinnett County reports the highest number of cases in the state at 10,741.
Kemp, state officials to address hospital capacity needs
Gov. Brian Kemp and other state officials will reopen the Georgia World Congress Center, using state-owned, standby hospital beds and medical equipment as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations increase.
Candice Broce, a spokesperson for Kemp, said the governor also plans to contract with a metro-Atlanta hospital for 100 medical-surgical and ICU beds. Mobile hospital units across the state remain in use. The state continues to supply fund additional staff at healthcare and long-term care facilities in Georgia.
A 200-bed facility opened at the congress center in April and closed in May.
While hospitalizations are increasing statewide, treatments are improving, Broce said.
“Patients are younger, cases are less acute, and treatment improvements — with advances like remdesivir — have halved the average hospital length of stay from fourteen to seven (or fewer) days,“ she said.
This story was originally published July 10, 2020 at 4:05 PM.