MACON, Ga. — Within the past two weeks, Georgia started seeing COVID-19 case numbers climb significantly.
Right before the state's two-week preliminary window, Georgia averaged about 1,400 new cases a day -- up from 800 less than three weeks before.
The real surge starts within the preliminary window, though. The state is still counting test results from this time frame, so tallies typically go up as more tests get factored in.
Even within the window, the average already reached more than 5,000 last week. That's more than 6x higher than around a month ago.
Cases are still only about half what they were at the last peak in August. After last year's holiday surge, the average topped out at more than 11,000 cases a day.
Since the surge really started within the preliminary window, it will take some time to get more accurate numbers.
In Bibb County, cases started climbing right at the start of the preliminary window. Right before that, Bibb averaged 10 new cases a day, but has already reached nearly 40 within the preliminary window.
Houston County's cases started climbing at the end of November. Houston's average jumped from five to 11 by mid-December. Within the preliminary window though, the average has already reached almost 50.
According to the CDC, the omicron variant is responsible for about 95% of cases in the Southeast.
Meanwhile, hospitalization numbers in Georgia are also up. Right now, the state averages 185 new patients a day. The average was 99 at the beginning of the month.
This time last year, hospitalizations were well-above 200.
Georgia is only seeing a slight uptick in deaths tied to the virus. Right before the preliminary window, an average of seven Georgians died a day. That slightly increases within the preliminary window though.