Health & Fitness
NE Health District Adds Two COVID-19 Deaths, 153 New Cases
Despite the persistence of the pandemic, the unemployment rate continues to drop.
The Northeast Health District added two deaths attributed to COVID-19 with the release of the Friday Daily Status Report, 123 confirmed cases of the disease based on molecular testing, and 30 cases identified through antigen tests.
The deaths were of a 69-year-old male in Barrow County without a chronic condition and of a 78-year-old male in Walton County, also without a chronic condition. The death brings to 57 the number in Barrow County from the disease, to 76 the number in Walton County, and to 350 the number in the Northeast Health District.
The seven-day rolling average of added deaths in the District increased to 1.9 on Friday from 1.7 on Thursday, which also added one probable death–in Jackson County. The Daily Status Report does not list characteristics of probable deaths, of which 26 are recorded in the District.
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The seven-day rolling average of added cases dropped to 134.9 from 137.4 on Thursday.
Every county in the 10-county Northeast Health District except Morgan added cases. Oconee County added nine cases and Clarke County added 24. The seven-day rolling average of added cases increased in Oconee County but fell very slightly in Clarke County.
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The 30 added cases based on antigen tests also resulted in a decline of the seven-day rolling average of added cases from that test to 46.6 on Friday from 52.0 on Thursday. Clarke County added six cases and Oconee County added three.
Oconee County Schools did not release a new Weekly COVID-19 Status Report on Friday. The schools have not been in session this week. Parents have reported being notified of four cases.
The Georgia Hospital Association (GHA) and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) reported on Friday that the number of COVID-19 patients at area hospitals (85) increased by one from the day before, that the number of ICU beds in use (65) increased by eight from the day before, and that the number of adult ventilators in use (31) increased by five from the day before.
Despite the persistence of the pandemic–and clear evidence COVID-19 cases and deaths in the Northeast Health District are once again on the rise--at least one indicant–the unemployment rate--suggests the economy has moved close to recovery.
For more local and state reporting, please go to Oconee County Observations.