Leading COVID-19 metrics continue fall in Cobb; deaths lag

Cobb COVID metrics fall — *PCR test positivity rates continue to fall in Cobb County; for more **visit the Georgia DPH Daily Status Report**.*

Many of the key COVID-19 metrics that have been on the decline in Cobb County over the last two weeks or so continue falling, although death rates are continuing to lag those figures.

We’ve been noting in particular the steep drop in case rates, generally in the county, and reported by the Cobb County School District (which is on winter break this week).

Other numbers that have been receding including community spread, hospitalizations and test positivity rates.

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, as of 3 p.m. Tuesday, there were 160 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in Cobb County, according to the “date of report” category. There were also 12 more deaths reported on Tuesday in the same category, continuing a trend of double-figure death reports over the last month.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, there have been 53,826 cases in Cobb County and 791s death, per Cobb and Douglas Public Health.

On Monday Dr. Janet Memark, director of Cobb and Douglas Public Health, offered a snapshot update of those and other indicators in the two-county region.

The community spread figures continue to move down, with Tuesday’s 14-day moving average of 322 cases per 100,000 people, a drop of more than 100 from the end of last week.

After surging past 1,000 cases per 100,000 in early January, that number is now close to returning to what it was in October, when Cobb school district students were returning to campuses.

A two-week average of 100 cases per 100,000 is considered “high” community spread.

Hospitalization numbers also are doing down, with the Cobb and Douglas region falling to around 92 percent of general inpatient beds in use, after hovering near full capacity.

Also trending in a more positive direction is the COVID-19 test positivity rate. After peaking at around 20 percent in January, that figure in Cobb County is was at 8.9 percent on Tuesday, The seven-day moving average is 6.9, the closest is had been to the ideal 5 percent range since late November.

But vaccine distribution in Cobb remains very limited. Cobb and Douglas Public Health is in th second week of halting new appointments at Jim Miller Park as it honors previously booked appointments and second doses.

On Tuesday, no vaccines were distributed due to the cold weather, but those with appointments were to be notified about rescheduling.

For more Cobb COVID information, click here.