Is COVID surge in Columbus, nearby Alabama counties leveling out? Check out the data
The latest surge of COVID-19 cases in Columbus and surrounding areas have shown signs of leveling off for the second week in a row.
Cases in Muscogee County still remain high with 1,257 new COVID-19 cases reported within the last two weeks as of Sept. 9, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. The latest coronavirus wave has put a strain on hospitals nationwide, prompting Gov. Brian Kemp to send more resources towards staffing Georgia hospitals.
Officials at East Alabama Health examined the difference vaccinations have made to mortality during 2021, John Atkinson, public relations director at the East Alabama Medical Center, said in a news release. The report found that of the 66 COVID deaths since March, 12 were fully vaccinated people and 5 were partially vaccinated.
All the fully and partially vaccinated East Alabama Health patients who died of COVID were over the age of 60, with nine of them being 80 years old or older.
“It’s also important to point out that they all likely received their vaccinations early in the year as the vaccines were initially prioritized by age,” Atkinson said in the release.
Numerous reports have shown that the efficacy of vaccines has slightly waned with time and is the reason booster shots will become available for the Pfizer vaccine on Sept. 20, he said.
“The health of individuals can play a factor in how well their body elicits an immune response compared to that of a younger, healthier individual,” Atkinson said in the release.
Residents of Russell and Lee counties can find information on getting the COVID-19 vaccine on their counties’ respective department of public health websites. Muscogee County residents may find additional vaccine information through the West Central Health District’s website.
Here’s a breakdown of recent coronavirus trends in the Columbus area and nearby Alabama counties.
Muscogee County
Muscogee County reported a two-week case rate of 656 cases per 100,000 people as of Sept. 9. The two-week case rate has hovered between 656-690 per 100,000 people this month.
On July 1, there were 34 cases per 100,000 people and it leaped to 690 cases per 100,000 on Sept. 3. But the rate at which cases are increasing has slowed down in recent weeks.
There were 10 COVID-related deaths in the county over the past week. Five deaths were reported on Sept. 3, the highest number in one day since May 7.
Over the last week, 4,378 new viral tests were reported, and Muscogee County’s test positivity rate for the past two weeks is 18.6%.
Around 41%, or 79,888, of Muscogee County’s residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 35%, or 69,388, are fully vaccinated.
Russell and Lee counties in Alabama
Thursday, Russell County reported a rate of 117 COVID cases per 100,000 people in the past week, and 194 new total cases in the last two weeks, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health.
Alabama’s health department has classified Russell County as having a high level of community transmission.
Of the 329 COVID tests performed in the last week in Russell County, 68 (about 21%) were positive. There have been no COVID-19 deaths in the county in the last two weeks.
Around 26% of residents in the county have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and about 20% are fully vaccinated.
Lee County reported a one week case rate of 285 cases per 100,000 people on Sept. 9, and a total of 1,116 new cases in the last two weeks.
Over the past week, the county reported 301 of the 1,456 COVID tests were positive (about 21%). There have been 191 COVID deaths in the county since the pandemic began.
Around 45% of Lee County residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and about 37% are fully vaccinated.
Russell County’s 7-day case average began to trend down around August 29, and Lee County’s average started trending down again on August 20.
Georgia update
Total cases: 1,144,884 (+41,242 reported since Sept. 3). 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: 95.8% of COVID-19 cases in Georgia are estimated to be caused by the delta variant, according to the CDC.
Vaccination Rate: 52% of Georgians have received at least one dose, while 45% are fully vaccinated.
Total deaths: 20,453 (+521 deaths since Sept. 3). 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: 11.2%. The rate over the past two weeks is 17% positive.
Current COVID hospitalizations: 488 hospitalizations reported on Sept. 9.
More information about COVID-19 data in Georgia can be found on DPH’s COVID-19 status website.
