MACON, Ga. — After four months of surging case numbers, Georgia could be starting to see some relief.
Georgia reached its highest daily average on January 8th topping out at 6,980 new cases, which is about 1.5 times higher than the previous peak in July.
However, from this point leading into the state's preliminary data window, the state drops to an average of 6,160 new cases a day on the 12th and numbers continue to fall within that preliminary window. Numbers often increase within and even right outside of that preliminary data window as the state receives more test results, so this trend could change in the coming days.
Some central Georgia counties also show a drop in cases just outside the preliminary window.
Houston County averaged 102 new cases a day on the first day of the year, which is its highest average for the entire pandemic, but the average fell to around 72 new cases by the 12th.
Meanwhile, Bibb County dropped from an average of 95 new cases a day to 85. That decrease only spanned a few days just outside the preliminary window, some changes to this part of Bibb's curve are likely in the next few days.
A few other counties including Dodge and Peach saw similar drops but are already showing another increase within the preliminary window. Jones, Telfair, Twiggs, and Wilkinson counties had similar trends.
Meanwhile, Georgia hospitals are seeing a slight decrease in new patients.
Right now, an average of 251 Georgians get admitted to hospitals across the state each day. That's down from more than 300 just two weeks ago, but Georgia hasn't dipped below an average of 100 new patients a day since the beginning of November.
There are no clear trends in deaths tied to COVID-19 in Georgia right now. Before the state's preliminary data window, around 60 Georgians died a day from the virus. The average daily death toll hovered near that mark for the first half of the month after steadily climbing since October.
The state reached its highest average death toll five months ago at 75.