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Omicron surge: Georgia sees largest single-day jump in current hospitalizations

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Updated  January 5, 2022 8:54pm EST
COVID-19 Omicron Variant
FOX 5 Atlanta

Gov. Kemp on state's COVID-19 response

Gov. Brian Kemp said 96 National Guard troops are assigned to testing sites, more are assigned to hospitals.

ATLANTA - Georgia saw the biggest single-day jump in current hospitalizations on Wednesday since the start of the pandemic.

The Georgia Department of Public Health reported 433 new patients were reported in the last 24 hours, beating the previous record set back on April 28, 2020.

AS COVID-19 CASES SURGE, CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS FEEL IMPACT OF OMICRON

How is Georgia responding to the rise in hospitalizations from the omicron wave?

The spike comes a day after 102 personnel with the Georgia National Guard received their assignments to be posted with the state's 11 health care systems.

Gov. Kemp also last week pledged $100 million for up to 1,000 additional personnel for hospitals, with assignments effective for 13 weeks.

Atlanta hospitals seeing increase in hospitalized children

The COVID-19 omicron variant does not seem to be making people as sick as previous variants. The volume of positive cases, however, could result in a spike in hospitalizations.

Another 96 personnel with the Georgia National Guard were assigned to the state's 16 different health districts and the Georgia Department of Public Health warehouse to help with testing, logistical support, and other needs that should arise.

What is causing the delay in Georgia reporting its daily COVID-19 numbers?

For the second time this week, the GDPH reported issues stemming from the sheer amount of test data coming in. Health officials said it has created a backlog, one which would "artificially deflate the percent positive." The GDPH said the "daily percentage positive will self-correct tomorrow now that this backlog has been processed."

OMICRON SYMPTOMS: COVID-19 OR A COMMON COLD?

The backlog also created a delay in the GDPH posting their data on Wednesday. Just after 7 p.m., the GDPH released the following statement regarding the delay:

"The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is working to address an issue with the COVID-19 testing numbers on the Daily Status Report. This issue only affects the PCR/Molecular Reported Today column of the COVID-19 Testing table; no other data in the Daily Status Report is impacted. Until the issue can be fixed, we will temporarily remove the PCR/Molecular Reported Today column of the COVID-19 Testing table. 

"Following an update to the data system yesterday, more than 2.6 million tests were incorrectly added to the PCR/Molecular Reported Today column of the COVID-19 Testing table. These were not new tests or new positive results, nor were they a backlog of tests. These tests and results have been included in the Total PCR/Molecular test column since testing began in Georgia – a coding error caused a miscount of the tests reported yesterday. 

"Until the issue with the PCR/Molecular Reported Today column of the COVID-19 Testing table is resolved, the daily percent positive can be found by hovering over the map of Georgia or in the ‘COVID-19 Over Time’ graph.

"We are actively working to resolve this issue to ensure we are providing accurate and transparent data about COVID-19 in Georgia. We ask for your continued patience as we address this issue."

The numbers were eventually released just before 9 p.m. showing the 7-day average for new cases has climbed to 19,560 for the first time ever.

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