White House: Georgia leads nation in rate of new COVID-19 cases

ATLANTA - Georgia leads the nation in the number of new COVID-19 infections, a White House report says.

Though conditions in some areas of the state have had slight improvements, the White House Coronavirus Task Force said Georgia remains in the "red zone" for the severity of the outbreak.

In a one-week period ending last Friday, Georgia reported 216 cases per 100,000 people - the highest in the country and about double the national average.

Know how the COVID-19 outbreak is impacting Georgia

According to the Harvard Global Health Institute, 109 of Georgia's 159 counties, including 34 metro areas in Georgia, are in the red zone for the rate of disease transmission.

The dubious distinction comes after an earlier report from President Donald Trump's Coronavirus Task Force that recommended businesses like nightclubs, bars, and gyms close in the highest risk counties and that a statewide mask mandate is considered. 

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Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp authorized cities to pass and enforce local mask ordinances and let businesses decide if face-coverings are required on their property.

Critics have said that Georgia's leaders need to harden their approach. While the White House and the World Health Organization, express urgency that more needs to be done to get the virus under control.

People stand in line to get tested for COVID-19 at a free walk-up testing site in Atlanta. (Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)

Since the start of the pandemic, Georgia has reported more than 241,000 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, over 22,000 hospitalizations due to the virus, and nearly 4,800 deaths.

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