GA Coronavirus: Vaccine Rollout Continues, New Cases Near Record

Dacula GA

17 December, 2020

4:40 PM

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ATLANTA, GA — Georgia reported on Thursday nearly 6,000 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases, its second highest one-day count since the pandemic began — and that doesn't even include antigen-positive cases. Georgia's health department tallied 5,890 confirmed COVID-19 cases in its daily afternoon report. Added to the slightly less reliable 2,174 antigen-positive — which most other states include in their total — Georgia reported more than 8,000 new coronavirus infections. The state's highest one-day total of new COVID-19 cases — not including antigen-positive test — is 6,115, set on Dec. 10. In addition, the seven-day moving average of new COVID-19 cases continues to hover near 4,600, almost 1,000 higher than July at the peak of the summer surge. The soaring numbers come at the same time a COVID-19 vaccine is being rolled out across the nation and here in Georgia, with Gov. Brian Kemp touring the state to witness the initial shots. "I am so relieved and so excited," said Dr. Kathleen Toomey of the Georgia Department of Public Health after receiving her vaccination Thursday at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. "I feel this ray of hope we didn't have even a few months ago." "It's an awesome moment," Kemp said later. Georgia Coronavirus Numbers For Dec. 17, 2020 The Georgia Department of Public Health in Atlanta reported a total of 494,173 confirmed cases of COVID-19 at 2:50 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17. According to the health department's website, that includes 5,890 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 over the last 24 hours. In addition, Georgia reported 2,174 new antigen-positive cases over the last 24 hours, which are considered to be probable cases of COVID-19. Georgia has reported 9,358 deaths so far from COVID-19, with 56 more confirmed deaths recorded in the last 24 hours. Georgia also reported 936 probable deaths from COVID-19 since the pandemic began. These probable deaths include fatalities with indirect evidence of COVID-19. Georgia reported 38,718 hospitalizations — 300 more than the day before — and 6,967 admissions so far to intensive-care units. No information is available from Georgia about how many patients have recovered. Counties in or near metro Atlanta and other metropolitan areas continue to have the highest number of COVID-19 positives, with Fulton County still in the lead and Gwinnett County close behind it. Also, all but one of the top 10 counties posted triple-digit increases. These statistics do not include antigen-positive cases. Fulton County: 44,255 cases — 562 newGwinnett County: 44,202 cases — 531 newCobb County: 31,565 cases — 416 newDeKalb County: 30,716 cases — 324 newHall County: 15,016 cases — 168 newChatham County: 11,718 — 73 newClayton County: 11,715 — 137 newRichmond County: 11,279 — 135 newCherokee County: 10,827 — 134 newWhitfield County: 9,424 — 162 new Counties in or near metro Atlanta also continue to have the most deaths from COVID-19. Fulton County: 714 deaths — 5 newGwinnett County: 533 deaths —2 newCobb County: 525 deaths — 2 newDeKalb County: 466 deaths — 1 newBibb County: 230 deathsChatham County: 217 deaths — 1 newRichmond County: 210 deaths — 1 newClayton County: 205 deaths — 2 newHall County: 204 deaths — 2 newDougherty County: 200 deaths All Georgia statistics are available on the state's COVID-19 website. Globally, more than 74.7 million people have tested positive for COVID-19, and more than 1.65 million people have died from it, Johns Hopkins University reported Thursday. In the United States, more than 17.1 million people have been infected and nearly 310,000 people have died from COVID-19 as of Thursday. The U.S. has only about 4 percent of the world's population but more confirmed cases and deaths than any other country. RELATED: Second COVID-19 Vaccine Gets Public Review Ahead of US DecisionSent Packing: Iowa Meatpacker Fires 7 In Coronavirus Betting Pool