MACON, Ga. — Georgia is finally getting down to similar case numbers reported back in mid-October before the holiday surge.
Right before the state's preliminary data window, Georgia averaged just shy of 1,700 new cases a day, which is a big improvement from the peak of more than 10,700 in January.
Georgia is also inching toward similar numbers compared to the low point in September near 1,350 new cases a day, but it is still more than double the 616 case average when the state's shelter-in-place order took effect.
Cases continue dropping in many Central Georgia counties like Bibb and Houston, though the change hasn't been as drastic for the last few weeks.
In Bibb, the county averaged 20 new cases a day before the state's preliminary data window. Bibb County has not reached a number that low since late October. It's a major improvement from 153 new cases a day just two months ago, but Bibb isn't fully recovered from the holiday surge when cases started climbing back in September.
Houston County is in a similar spot, averaging 24 new cases a day compared to nearly 200 at the beginning of the year. However, back in October, Houston got down to as low as 10 new cases a day.
The average death toll tied to COVID-19 continues to drop in the state as well with about 25 Georgians dying each day before the preliminary window. At the high point in January, daily deaths topped out near 120 a day. There is still a lot of room for more improvement, though. At the low point in June, 17 Georgians died a day.
After a year on the front lines of the pandemic, hospitals across the state continue to see some relief. Georgia hospitals averaged 80 new patients a day, the lowest since mid-October. Just two weeks ago, daily hospitalizations were more than double that.
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