GA reported over 9,000 new COVID cases Tuesday. Here’s what’s wrong with the numbers
The Georgia Department of Public Health reported 9,481 new COVID-19 cases in its daily update Tuesday, but the eye-popping total isn’t a result of a massive spike in cases, the department said.
Rather, a backlog of PCR and antigen cases starting July 30 hadn’t been reported. Those cases were lumped in with the new cases reported by DPH Tuesday.
Coronavirus cases have risen dramatically in the Peach State over the past two weeks, however, the result of low vaccination rates and the highly contagious delta variant, according to health experts. Over the last 14 days, Georgia has reported a 167% increase in COVID cases; 46% of residents have received one dose and only 40% have been fully vaccinated.
Georgia also reported 21 deaths and 167 hospitalizations Tuesday. Over the last two weeks, hospitalizations have increased by 123%. The silver-lining? Coronavirus-related deaths have only increased 5%.
The CDC released new guidance in late July as coronavirus cases spiked across the country. The agency’s suggestions marked a shift in its recommendations, which had previously noted that vaccinated folks didn’t have to wear masks or socially distance.
The new recommendations noted that fully vaccinated people should wear masks in public, indoor settings if they’re in areas with substantial or high COVID-19 transmission.
Health officials define substantial transmission as when between 50 and 99.99 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people have been reported in the past seven days, while high transmission indicates 100 or more new cases per 100,000 people have been reported in the past seven days.
According to the CDC’s COVID data tracker, almost every county in Georgia falls into the substantial or high, including Bibb, Houston, Peach, Baldwin, Twiggs, Monroe, Jones and Wilkinson counties.
This story was originally published August 3, 2021 at 5:56 PM with the headline "GA reported over 9,000 new COVID cases Tuesday. Here’s what’s wrong with the numbers."