Georgia seeing spike in new COVID BA.5 variant cases across state

ATLANTA - New highly transmissible variants of COVID-19 are causing numbers of infections to spike in Georgia and across the country.

The new variants, labeled BA.4 and BA.5, are offshoots of the omicron strain that has been responsible for nearly all the virus spread in the U.S. and are even more contagious than their predecessors. 

Georgia health officials say the state is seeing its highest new case count and testing percentage since February.

Currently, BA.5 makes up 65 % of new cases nationwide. It can infect people who have already had the virus - including those who are infected.

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In Georgia, an average of 3,652 newly confirmed cases per day were reported throughout the state - an increase of 28 percent. That's the highest new case and positivity rate since February at the end of the omicron wave.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists 21 Georgia counties including Cobb and Henry counties as having high transmission rates and the state Department of Health says all metro Atlanta counties have high transmission indicators.

Health officials say vaccinations are the best way to protect yourself from serious COVID symptoms like hospitalizations or death.

Doctor Delkhah Shahin checks on a 34 year old, unvaccinated Covid-19 patient at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center in Tarzana, California (Photo by APU GOMES/AFP via Getty Images)

"Currently, many Americans are under-vaccinated, meaning they are not up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines," said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Staying up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines provides the best protection against severe outcomes."

Georgia is 46th in the nation when it comes to the number of people who have had the COVID booster and 44th for individuals who have been double boosted.

With the new variants spreading, experts say it's important for people to test before any large gatherings or visits with high-risk people.

If you do test positive, talk to your doctor right away.

As of Wednesday, the Georgia Department of Public Health reports over 2 million Georgians have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic's start. Over 32,000 people have died from the virus with 6,618 probable deaths. nearly 118,000 hospitalizations, and 16,393 ICU admissions. 

The counties with the most confirmed cases and deaths from the virus in the state are Fulton, Gwinnett and Cobb counties.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.