| Augusta Chronicle
In a hopeful sign that the COVID-19 pandemic may be subsiding, Georgia has seen the fewest new cases in the past two days since the beginning of October and South Carolina has seen fewer new cases and a handful of new deaths. Augusta had a single death and most counties in the area had no new cases.
Georgia added 741 new cases, combined with the lowest total on Sunday since October 3-4, to reach 829,077 with 42 new deaths to 15,640, the Department of Public Health reported.
Richmond County saw 19 new cases for a total of 18,866, and Columbia County had an additional 17 to 10,615. Only two other Georgia counties in the area have had new cases, with one in McDuffie County for 1,587 and three in Wilkes County for 655.
All other counties in the area remained unchanged: Burke at 1,686, Jefferson at 1,545, Screven at 790, Jenkins at 703, Lincoln at 490, Warren at 362, Glascock at 139 and Taliaferro at 96.
Richmond County suffered a new death to 363, increasing the area’s casualty to 954.
Georgia Public Health obtained the results of 14,505 new tests, of which 5.11% were positive, less than half the overall rate of 10.55%, which fell slightly, according to an analysis of the Augusta Chronicle. The seven-day average for new cases continued to drop, from 1,508.71 to 1,335.29, the lowest level since October 19, the analysis found.
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Georgia administered 2,360,595 of the 2,897,915 doses it received until Monday, or 81.46%. The state is receiving an average of 39,051 shots a day until Monday, Chronicle analysis found.
The University Hospital dropped to 28 inpatients with COVID-19 on Monday after discharging 10 and admitting two, said spokeswoman Rebecca Sylvester, a level that had not occurred in mid-October. The university has admitted 2,286 patients since the start of the pandemic, including 26 last week, the lowest number since November.
The AU Health System dropped to the single digit for patients in the hospital, with nine, one less than last week, and has had 63 new positive tests for 25,640 since the start of the pandemic, spokeswoman Christen Engel said.
Doctors Hospital of Augusta saw a small increase on Monday of 17 inpatients, three more than on Sunday, and two new cases, totaling 752, said spokesman Kaden Jacobs.
Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center in Augusta had nine more cases over the weekend for a total of 1,763, with 44 active cases between 42 veterans and two employees, with a new death for 84, according to the States Department of Veterans Affairs United. Augusta VA vaccinated 10,946 veterans, including 6,441 who received both doses.
South Carolina had 601 new cases, reaching 450,578, with four new deaths to 7,448, reported the Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Aiken County saw 13 new cases for 12,285 and Edgefield County had two more for 2,424. None of the counties had a new death and remained at 171 and 26, respectively.
The state obtained the result of 26,105 new tests, of which 2.3% were positive, less than half of the global rate of 7.29%, which fell slightly, Chronicle analysis found. The seven-day average rose, however, from 712 to 711, according to the analysis.