COVID-19 Cases Soar In State, Oconee County, Area

The Georgia Department of Public Health reported the largest single increase ever in confirmed cases of COVID-19 in its noon Daily Status Report today, attributing the increase in part to new testing.

Oconee County added three new cases, and Clarke County added nine.

Each of the counties surrounding Oconee and Clarke counties except Madison County added confirmed cases, with Oglethorpe reporting its first case.

Barrow County added 11 new cases, bringing its total number of cases to 18, putting it ahead of Oconee’s 14 cases and behind Clarke’s 50 cases.

Yesterday’s 7 p.m. Daily Status Report listed a death in Madison County. That death was reflected in the noon Status Report today, and the number of deaths in Clarke County (5) and Barrow County (2) remained unchanged since yesterday.

None of the other counties has reported a death to this point.

The huge increase in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state and the area in the report today negates any suggestion from the slow growth in cases reported in recent days that the growth curve has begun to flatten.

The number of deaths statewide increased by 21 in the last 24 hours and now stands at 108, and the number of hospitalizations went up by 111 to 818.

For more on the story, please go to Oconee County Observations.