MACON, Ga. — After Georgia's record-breaking surge in new COVID-19 cases through the holidays, the state may have finally reached its peak.
Right before the state's two-week preliminary data window, Georgia averaged more than 19,400 new cases a day. That's down from just a few days before at more than 21,000 new cases. Case numbers continue to drop throughout the entirety of the preliminary window, and that could signal that Georgia has reached the peak of this latest surge.
However, the state still averages almost twice as many new cases as the peak in late August and nearly double the peak from last January.
Many central Georgia counties follow a similar trend.
Bibb County averaged 282 new cases a day right before the preliminary data window. That is down from 343 less than a week before. There is still plenty of room for improvement though. Before this latest surge, Bibb got down to just five new cases a day in early November.
Houston County has not seen as significant of a drop in cases yet. Right before the preliminary window, Houston averaged 350 new cases a day, which is down only 10 from the highest point a few days before. Houston also averaged only five new cases a day before this latest surge.
Meanwhile, the death toll from the virus continues to rise. Right before the preliminary window, an average of 25 Georgians died a day. That's two and a half times higher than a month before in mid-December. The average daily death toll is still significantly less than we've seen in previous surges, though.
Hospitals are admitting fewer patients with COVID-19. Right now, the state averages 273 new patients a day. Two weeks ago, the state reached its highest average of the pandemic with 380 people admitted to hospitals a day.