MACON, Ga. — As around 20 states report increasing COVID-19 cases, Georgia continues to see progress in the fight against the virus. However, that progress is starting to slow down compared to the sharp drop in cases that started in January.
Right before the state's two-week preliminary window, Georgia averaged just over 1,300 new cases a day. That is less than the average of nearly 1,350 at the low point in September and an improvement from the roughly 10,700 cases at the peak in January.
The fight against COVID-19 is, of course, not over. Georgia still averages well above the 790-case average at the initial peak last April.
Houston County actually shows a small increase in cases within the last two weeks. That falls within the two-week preliminary window, so numbers typically increase more as the state continues receiving test results from this timeframe.
Before that window, Houston county averaged 14 new cases a day, which is close to the low point in October at 10 cases a day.
About a dozen central Georgia counties also report small increases within the preliminary window, including Baldwin and Monroe. Crawford, Dodge, Macon, and Peach counties also saw increases.
Bibb County shows almost a plateau within the preliminary window. This could change as the state tallies more test results.
Before the preliminary window., Bibb averaged 11 new cases a day, almost even with the low point in September and just shy of the 15 case average at the initial peak last April.
In another hint of progress, Georgia's average daily death toll is the lowest since June. Before the preliminary window, an average of 19 Georgians died a day from the virus compared to 17 at the end of June. Two months ago, the state averaged nearly 120 deaths a day.
The state did see a small uptick in new hospitalizations within the last two weeks, but the average still sits around 81 a day and is just a small increase from 74 ten days ago.