Rate of new COVID-19 cases in Macon increasing, according to GA health department

The Georgia Department of Public Health released updated COVID-19 case, laboratory testing and emergency department visitation data Monday, noting which counties have reported high transmission rates or are susceptible to significant spread.

According to the County Indicator Report, Bibb County has reported more than 6,300 cumulative coronavirus cases, including 107 between both Sept. 26-Oct 2. and 138 between Oct. 3-Oct. 9. The county’s 14-day case rate per 100,000 people is 160, compared to Houston County at 107 and Peach County at 103.

The report listed Bibb County as an “emerging county,” which means the county has reported a greater than 5% increase in COVID-19 cases from the previous seven-day reporting period.

Over the past two weeks, the county’s positivity rate for PCR COVID-19 tests was 8.3%: having a rate below 10% indicates a sufficient number of people are being tested. Last week, the percentage of emergency department visits in Bibb County ERs related to COVID-19 went up to 2% up by one from the previous week.

In Middle Georgia, Twiggs County has indications of high coronavirus transmission, according to the health department. Twiggs has the fifth-worst test positivity rate over the past week (Oct. 3-Oct. 10) in the state at 20%.

Middle Georgia Cases

The Georgia Department of Public Health reported 18,709 cumulative COVID-19 cases in Middle Georgia in its 3 p.m. update Tuesday.

Here are key takeaways:

Cases: 18,709. Bibb County has recorded the most cumulative positive cases with 6,335.

Deaths: 619. It’s important to note that these numbers indicate when deaths are reported to the Georgia Department of Public Health. It does not reflect when these deaths occurred.

Hospitalizations: In Region F, which includes Bibb County and much of Middle Georgia, 75.20% of hospital beds were in use, 77.23% of ICU beds were in use and 32.6% of adult ventilators were in use.

Cases per person: Baldwin County has the most cases per 100,000 with 4,956 . Bibb is next with 4,163 cases per 100,000 people. Crawford has one of the lowest rates in the state, with 1,496 per 100,000.

County Indicator Report: Twiggs County is currently listed as a high transmission county. Bibb, Houston, Laurens and Bleckley counties are listed as an emerging county. An emerging county has seen a greater than 5% increase in COVID cases from the previous seven day period. A high transmission county has a 14-day cases rate of more than 100 cases for 100,000 county residents and an average of more than 10% in positive tests results during that 14 day period. No other counties in Middle Georgia meet these criteria according to the report.

The following is a breakdown of cumulative cases and deaths for counties in Middle Georgia.

• Bibb 6,335 cases - 188 deaths
  
  
• Houston 3,323 - 86
  
  
• Baldwin 2,202 - 62
  
  
• Laurens 1,852 - 82
  
  
• Monroe 730 - 54
  
  

• Washington 710 - 11

• Peach 709 - 24
  
  
• Jones 611 - 13
  
  
• Bleckley 467 - 21
  
  
• Dodge 467 - 13
  
  
• Wilkinson 356 - 18
  
  
• Pulaski 320 - 22
  
  
• Macon 239 - 10
  
  
• Twiggs 205- 9
  
  
• Crawford 183 - 6
  
  

DPH reported 1,021 new cases across the state and 27 new deaths Tuesday.

Bibb County schools meal plan extended

Students in the Bibb County School system will continue to receive free breakfast and lunch through June 30 through the USDA Seamleass Summer Option Waiver. The program is available to all students under 18, and those older than 18 with state defined mental and physical disabilities. Meals are provided on Monday and Wednesday through curbside sites and bus delivery.