Omicron surge: Georgia hits new single-day record for COVID-19 cases
ATLANTA - Georgia has set a new single-day record for the number of positive COVID-19 cases and as the omicron variant continues its spread.
As of Wednesday afternoon, 19,124 PCR and antigen positives were reported by the Georgia Department of Public Health. This shatters the previous record set on Jan. 8 of 13,296.
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Reported tests are also at an all-time high. There were more than 56,000 PCR tests reported on Wednesday alone, according to the GDPH, which break the old record of just over 52,000. Of those tests, the GPDH said nearly 14,000 or just over 24% were positive.
The 7-day average for PCR positivity is at 21.70%, according to GDPH data.
Current hospitalizations continue to climb with now more than 2,500 COVID-19 patients reported in Georgia hospitals by the GDPH, a high that hasn't been seen since the start of October.
Gov. Brian Kemp said Wednesday that the state will spend $100 million to boost hospital staffing and deploy 200 National Guard troops to help at coronavirus testing sites and hospitals amid an explosion of new infections in the state. That money could mean about 1,000 additional personnel for hospitals, with assignments effective for 13 weeks. Half the 200 National Guard troops will also assist hospitals.
Deployment of the 200 troops will begin Jan. 3. The state Department of Public Health, additionally, is expanding staffing at COVID-19 test sites and working to secure a new testing site near Atlanta’s airport, Kemp said.
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As of Tuesday afternoon, 25 Atlanta-area emergency rooms were turning away ambulances, while only six ERs at hospitals caring for adults were receiving them, according to state data. Among those turning away emergency medical transports were the flagship hospitals of three of the area’s four major hospital systems: Emory, Piedmont and Northside.
Officials are urging people who need testing not to tie up emergency rooms, but to instead seek out testing sites and pharmacies.
The latest wave of COVID-19 has done little to move the needle on new vaccinations. There were just over 38,000 fewer shots given over the last week than during the previous week and nearly 45,000 less than the week prior, according to GDPH data. Georgia remains the 6th lowest state for fully vaccinated individuals with just over 54% of those eligible having been fully vaccinated.
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