MACON, Ga. — COVID-19 cases continue to surge in Georgia with cases now more than double what the state saw during the last surge in August.
On December 28th, Georgia had its highest single-day case increase with almost 28,000 people getting sick. That falls just outside the two-week preliminary data window, so that number should not change much as the state continues factoring in new test results.
However, within the preliminary window, the average daily case count continues to rise, reaching close to 19,700. That's more than double the peak from late August and nearly double the peak last January.
In central Georgia, Bibb County had its highest single-day case increase on January 3rd as well as its highest average so far at more than 320 new cases a day. That's about double the peak last January at 166 new cases a day. Bibb's current peak falls a little later within the preliminary window, so this could change as the state factors in more test results.
The same goes in Houston County. Right now, Houston reached its highest average of 313 new case a day on January 7th. That's only about 1.5 times higher than the peak last January at 200 new cases a day.
Meanwhile, hospitalizations from the virus are up about 30 percent in the last two weeks. Right now, the state averages about 316 new patients a day. That's the highest since the start of the pandemic. The average was below 200 right before the new year.
The daily death toll continues to drop, though. The state saw a short-lived spike in mid-December, but that dropped down to an average of nine deaths a day right before the end of the year. In comparison, during the surge last January more than 120 Georgians died a day.