Georgia reports over 3,300 new COVID-19 cases for third straight day
The Georgia Department of Public Health reported nearly 124,000 cumulative COVID-19 cases Wednesday hours before Gov. Brian Kemp approaches a deadline to either implement new rules or end his latest set of coronavirus restrictions.
Here are some key takeaways from the latest data:
- Cases: 127,834 (+3,871 in 24 hours). This is the third straight day Georgia reported more than 3,300 new coronavirus cases. Health officials reported 3,394 cases on Tuesday and 3,643 on Monday. 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.
- People ages 18-29 account for 30,859 (or about 24%) of Georgia’s total coronavirus cases.
- The seven-day average for newly reported cases is 3,420.57, a new record.
- Deaths: 3,091 (+37 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 187,083 total antibody tests and 1,154,983 total viral tests (+23,949 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: 2,786, a new record. That’s an increase of 45 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.
- As of Wednesday, 84% of the state’s critical care beds are in use. Several hospital regions in Georgia have less than 10 critical care beds available, according to the state’s emergency management agency. Region H, which includes some Middle Georgia counties such as Baldwin, Laurens and Twiggs, has 3 critical care beds left. Not every patient in a critical care bed has COVID-19.
- Total COVID-19 hospitalizations as of July 14: 14,102, an increase of 417 in 24 hours.
- Cases per 100,000: Echols (5,013.86), Chattahoochee (4,558.56), Stewart (3,801.6), Early (3,203.23) and Randolph (3,168.49) counties have the highest coronavirus rates per 100,000 people in the state.
The health department is not reporting how many Georgians have recovered.
For a complete county-by-county list, visit the Georgia Department of Public Health’s website.
Regional Update
In Middle Georgia, Bibb County reported 1,972 cases, up 77 cases in 24 hours. As of July 15, 43 coronavirus-related deaths have been confirmed in Bibb. No new deaths were reported.
- Muscogee County reported 3,061 COVID-19 cases, an increase of 85 in 24 hours. As of July 15, 64 coronavirus-related deaths have been confirmed, an increase of one in 24 hours.
- Gwinnett County reports the highest number of cases in the state at 12,217.
Kemp must make a decision on coronavirus restrictions
Gov. Kemp has until 11:59 p.m. Wednesday night to extend or implement new coronavirus restrictions before portions of his current COVID-19 executive order expires.
Among other actions, the most recent order in late June extended distancing, sanitation and other related protocols businesses and entities across the state must implement.
Gatherings of more than 50 people were banned unless there is six feet between each person. Georgians who live in long-term care facilities or suffer from certain medical conditions were required to continue sheltering in place.
Since the executive order, Georgia has seen a rise in cases and hospitalizations with the largest single-day increase in infections coming on July 10 with 4,484 cases. The Capitol Beat News Service reported Tuesday that Kemp’s office said he was likely to extend the restrictions.
This story was originally published July 15, 2020 at 4:12 PM.