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Georgia seeing spike in new COVID BA.5 variant cases
Georgia is seeing the highest new COVID case and positivity rate since the end of the omicron wave in February due to a highly transmissible new variant of the virus.
CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. - Cherokee County has closed a local senior center after an outbreak in COVID cases possibly connected to the building.
A spokesperson for the county says the Cherokee County Senior Center will be closed through July 25.
Despite the county's protocols and cleaning, 10 clients and two staff members recently tested positive for the virus.
FULL CORONAVIRUS IN GEORGIA COVERAGE
The county's homebound services and Meals on Wheels programs will continue.
Counties across Georgia have seen a rise in COVID cases as the BA.5, a highly transmissible offshoot of the omicron strain, became the predominant virus in the Peach State.
In the latest health report, more than 4,400 new cases of the virus have been reported. That's the highest new case rate since the end of the omicron wave in February.
Cherokee County saw 724 new cases in the last two weeks and has had 48,465 confirmed cases and 600 confirmed deaths from the virus since the start of the pandemic.