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The rate of new confirmed COVID-19 cases in White County slowed again over the past week, continuing a recent trend after the community experienced its highest local infection rates during the pandemic.
The rate of new confirmed COVID-19 cases in White County slowed again over the past week, continuing a recent trend after the community experienced its highest local infection rates during the pandemic.
The seven-day moving average of confirmed cases for the county was at a rate of 11.4 cases per day according to a Sept. 21 update by the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH), down from 22.1 on Sept. 14. (The average reached a new high of 39.1 on Sept. 8.)
There have been 502 confirmed cases reported for the month through Sept. 21 for the county. (DPH notes only positives from PCR tests are used to identify confirmed cases.) The state public health update now shows 678 confirmed reports in the county for August, up from 89 confirmed case reports in July.
The county’s top monthly case count during the pandemic was 697 in December 2020.
DPH lists White County as having 4,290 confirmed cases diagnosed from PCR testing and 97 confirmed deaths attributed to COVID-19 during the pandemic. In addition, there have been 308 positives reported from antigen tests and 16 probable COVID-19 deaths, according to DPH.
Meanwhile, state public health reported that 10,103 of the county’s residents are now considered fully vaccinated, around 34% of the population, as of Sept. 14.
A total of 11,549 people are listed as having received at least one vaccine dose, about 39% of the population.
DPH reports that 46% of Georgians are considered fully vaccinated and 53% have received at least one dose.
The spreading of the Delta variant of the coronavirus has been cited in the recent surges in COVID-19 cases that have strained resources for EMS and hospitals throughout the state. Public health officials say the variant is more transmissible than the original virus and more likely to cause severe illness and hospitalization than other variants.
All Georgians aged 12 and older are being urged to get vaccinated, wear a mask in public settings and wash their hands frequently.
Those wishing to get a vaccine are advised to check with the their local health department, healthcare provider or pharmacy.