Delta variant accounts for almost all COVID cases in Georgia. Here’s the latest data
Muscogee and Harris counties continue to see high levels of community transmission as the delta variant now accounts for over 90% of COVID-19 cases in Georgia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Residents should do what they can to stay healthy, like getting exercise and fresh air which can provide stress relief and vitamin D, said spokesperson for the West Central Health District Pam Kirkland.
“Continue to practice prevention measures: wear a mask indoors in public places, social distance, wash your hands and get vaccinated if you haven’t already,” she said.
The Columbus Health Department offers free COVID vaccines 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday through Friday at 5601 Veterans Parkway.
As rates continue to rise from two weeks ago, here’s the latest data on COVID trends and how they’ve changed since the beginning of the month.
Muscogee County
On Thursday, Muscogee County reported 1,276 new COVID cases in the last two weeks, the most since Jan. 20 when there were 1,323 cases in a two-week period.
Muscogee County reported 666 COVID cases per 100,000 people over the past two weeks, as of Thursday’s data update from the Georgia Department of Public Health, more than triple what the two-week case rate was on Aug. 1.
There were five COVID-related deaths in the county over the past week. Since the start of the pandemic, Muscogee County has reported 17,555 coronavirus cases and 451 deaths.
Over the last week, 3,599 new viral tests were reported. Muscogee County’s test positivity rate for the past two weeks is 22.4%.
As of Aug. 26, 40% of Muscogee County residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while 34% are fully vaccinated.
The Georgia Geospatial Information Office, using data provided by DPH, breaks down the county’s cases and deaths by age, sex, race and ethnicity.
According to the data, adults ages 25-34 account for 3,425 (about 19.5%) of Columbus’ cases since the pandemic began; that is the largest portion. Female residents account for 9,842 (56%) of the county’s cases.
Black residents account for 7,888 (45%) of Columbus’ cases, while white residents make up the second largest demographic with 5,899 (33.6%) cases. People who identify as Hispanic or Latino accounted for 991 (5.6%) cases in Muscogee County.
Harris County
Harris County reported 568 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people on Aug. 26. This number has continually increased since Aug. 1, when the two-week case rate was 173 cases per 100,000 people.
As of Aug. 26, Harris County reported 197 new cases and no deaths in the past two weeks. This is up from the 60 cases reported in a two-week period on Aug. 1. The county has reported 2,675 cases and 64 deaths since the pandemic began.
Among Harris County residents, 44% have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 37% are fully vaccinated.
There were 468 new viral tests reported in the last week, and Harris County’s test positivity rate for the past two weeks is 22.3%.
Residents ages 45-54 in Harris County account for the largest portion of total cases with 481 (about 18%) since the pandemic began. Female residents account for the majority of Harris County’s COVID-19 cases with 1,408 (about 53%) of the cases. White residents make up the largest demographic with 1,805 (about 67%) cases.
Georgia update
Total cases: 1,056,788 (+44,396 reported since Aug. 20). The number of new cases reported in a day may not match the difference in total cases over a 24-hour period. This occurs because previously reported cases may be removed as duplicate reports are corrected. An older confirmed case may also be reclassified as additional information is collected during an investigation.
Variant of Concern: 92.7% of COVID-19 cases in Georgia are estimated to be caused by the delta variant, according to the CDC.
Vaccination Rate: 50% of Georgians have received at least one dose of the COVID-19, while 43% are fully vaccinated.
Total deaths: 19,451 (+324 deaths since Aug. 20). 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.
Positivity rate for Georgia today: 11%. The rate over the past two weeks is 17.2% positive in the last two weeks.
Current COVID hospitalizations: 341 hospitalizations reported on Aug. 26
More information about COVID-19 data in Georgia can be found on DPH’s COVID-19 status website.
This story was originally published August 27, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
