GA Passes 500K Coronavirus Cases, Jimmy Carter To Get Vaccine

Dacula GA

18 December, 2020

4:02 PM

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ATLANTA, GA — Georgia passed two milestones Friday: more than 500,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far, as well as more than 7,000 admissions total to intensive care units. Georgia also set a one-day record Friday of 6,149 new COVID-19 cases reported in the last 24 hours. The previous one-day record for new COVID-19 cases was 6,115, set on Dec. 10. Less than 24 hours earlier, the Carter Center had announced that former President Jimmy Carter will receive a COVID-19 vaccination. "After consulting with his doctors, President Carter is looking forward to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine when it is available to him," said the statement, tweeted Thursday night. Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, said earlier this month that they "are in full support of COVID-19 vaccine efforts and encourage everyone who is eligible to get immunized." Carter, 96, joins former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama in promising to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Vice President Mike Pence received his vaccination on national TV Friday morning, but it's unclear whether President Donald Trump will be vaccinated. He and first lady Melania Trump contracted and recovered from COVID-19 in October. Georgia Coronavirus Numbers For Dec. 18 The Georgia Department of Public Health in Atlanta reported a total of 500,265 confirmed cases of COVID-19 at 2:50 p.m. Friday. According to the health department's website, that includes 6,149 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 over the last 24 hours. In addition, Georgia reported 2,342 new antigen-positive cases over the last 24 hours, which are considered to be probable cases of COVID-19. Georgia has reported 9,396 deaths so far from COVID-19, with 38 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 39,064 hospitalizations — 346 more than the day before — and 7,009 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. All top-10 counties, most of them in metro Atlanta, experienced triple-digit increases. These statistics do not include antigen-positive cases. Fulton County: 44,811 cases — 556 newGwinnett County: 44,703 cases — 501 newCobb County: 32,016 cases — 451 newDeKalb County: 31,046 cases — 330 newHall County: 15,306 cases — 290 newChatham County: 11,844 — 126 newClayton County: 11,841 — 126 newRichmond County: 11,383 — 104 newCherokee County: 10,989 — 162 newWhitfield County: 9,589 — 165 new Counties in or near metro Atlanta also continue to have the most deaths from COVID-19. Fulton County: 717 deaths — 3 newGwinnett County: 535 deaths —2 newCobb County: 527 deaths — 2 newDeKalb County: 467 deaths — 1 newBibb County: 233 deaths — 3 newChatham County: 219 deaths — 2 newRichmond County: 210 deathsClayton County: 207 deaths — 2 newHall County: 204 deathsDougherty County: 200 deaths All Georgia statistics are available on the state's COVID-19 website. Globally, more than 75.4 million people have tested positive for COVID-19, and nearly 1.7 million people have died from it, Johns Hopkins University reported Friday. In the United States, more than 17.3 million people have been infected and more than 312,000 people have died from COVID-19 as of Friday. The U.S. has only about 4 percent of the world's population but more confirmed cases and deaths than any other country. Statement from The Carter Center:After consulting with his doctors, President Carter is looking forward to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine when it is available to him. See our previous COVID-19 statement here: https://t.co/j4vj0wZ3yf— The Carter Center (@CarterCenter) December 17, 2020 RELATED: 7 Stories From America's Coronavirus Graveyard: Deaths Pass 300KU.S. Experts Debate: Who Should Be Next in Line for Vaccine?