Health & Fitness
20 Percent Of Area Hospital Patients Have COVID-19
The Northeast Health District added 363 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday
The Northeast Health District added 286 confirmed COVID-19 cases based on molecular tests and another 77 cases based on rapid antigen testing with the release of the Department of Public Health Daily Status Report on Saturday.
The seven-day rolling average of added molecular cases increased to 210.9 from 190.7 on Friday, and the seven-day rolling average of added antigen cases increased to 56.4 on Saturday from 47.9 on Friday.
The rolling average for molecular-based cases is the highest it has been in the District since Sept. 9. The Department of Public Health began reporting antigen test outcomes only on Nov. 3, and the average on Saturday was the highest ever for the District.
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Each of the 10 counties in the District added at least two molecular cases, with Oconee County adding 12 and Clarke County adding 82. The seven-day rolling average of added cases increased both in Oconee and Clarke counties.
Each county except for Morgan reported added antigen cases on Saturday, with Oconee County reporting 14 added cases and Clarke County reporting 15.
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The District reported no confirmed deaths in the Daily Status Report on Saturday, and the seven-day rolling average of added deaths dropped to 1.0 on Saturday from 1.1 on Friday.
The District did add one “probable” death--in Oconee County. The Department of Public Health began reporting “probable” deaths only on Nov. 3, and the District now has 31. The “probable” death reported on Saturday was the first in Oconee County.
(GEMA) reported on Saturday that the number of COVID-19 patients at area hospitals (138) increased by five from the day before, that the number of ICU beds in use (67) decreased by two from the day before, and that the number of adult ventilators in use (38) increased by nine from the day before.
The 138 COVID-19 patients at area hospitals is the highest level recorded going back to Aug. 12.
The percentage of patients in area hospitals who have COVID-19 reached 20.9 on Saturday, higher than the state figure (15.0 percent) and the highest it has been since Aug. 24. Area hospitals report having 660 total patients.
For charts summarizing these and state data, please go to Oconee County Observations.