While Bulloch County has not seen the surge of positive COVID-19 cases the county experienced in late August and into September, the Georgia Department of Public Health, nonetheless, has placed Bulloch on its watch list of “Emerging Counties” for possible increases in coronavirus cases.
“Bulloch County, as are many Georgia counties, is now considered an emerging county due to increases in new cases, positivity rate, and emergency room visits,” said Bulloch County Public Safety/Emergency Management Agency Director Ted Wynn.
According to state statistics, Bulloch County has seen the number of COVID cases per 100,000 residents in the previous two weeks rise from 115 on Nov. 22 to 167 on Thursday. Also, the percentage of positive COVID tests has gone from a seven-day average of 5.9% on Nov. 26 to 13.6% on Monday – Bulloch’s highest percentage rate since it was 15% on Sept. 21.
“I’ve said this before, but it needs to be said again: I know we’re all tired of following COVID safety guidelines and just want all our lives to return to normal, but we must continue to be vigilant and have each other’s back,” Wynn said. “Please, wear your mask in public. Don’t gather in large groups, especially inside. Practice social distancing and wash your hands regularly.”
Meanwhile, Georgia set a single-day record for new cases Thursday, blowing past the old record by more than 1,000. The state reported 6,126 new cases Thursday, shattering the previous high number of cases set last Friday – Dec. 4 – when the state had 5,015 new cases.
Georgia is now averaging more than 4,150 new cases per day in the past seven days – by far the highest seven-day average since the pandemic started in March.
With the 6,126 new cases reported Thursday, the state's total number of confirmed cases is now up to 462,175. Georgia reported 55 deaths on Thursday, raising the death toll to 9,123.
Back in Bulloch County, in his Thursday report, Wynn said the county reported 12 new cases and has now recorded 3,407 total COVID cases, which have resulted in 35 deaths and 155 local residents being hospitalized since the pandemic began in March.
Also, the state Department of Health is reporting an additional 21 deaths in Bulloch probably were caused by COVID. According to the Georgia DPH, the 21 non-confirmed deaths represent Bulloch citizens who received a positive antigen/rapid test for COVID-19, developed COVID-19 symptoms and subsequently died.
Wynn said East Georgia Regional Medical Center staff, on Thursday, were caring for 10 COVID patients, with six patients on ventilators.
Bulloch EMS has transported a total of 132 people with probable COVID-19 and 157 with confirmed cases.
Also, COVID cases that require hospitalization continue to rise in Georgia, and more Americans are being hospitalized than at any point since the pandemic began in March.
A record high 106,671 virus patients were hospitalized in the United States as of Wednesday, according to the COVID Tracking Project. It was the twelfth day in the past 13 a new record was set for national hospitalizations.
There were 3,066 COVID patients hospitalized in Georgia, the Tracking Project reported Wednesday. It is the thirteenth consecutive day the state has seen an increase in hospitalizations.
National case numbers
According to statistics from the Johns Hopkins University of Medicine, as of Thursday afternoon, 291,307 Americans had died from coronavirus. Also, Johns Hopkins reported the U.S. has had 15,526,644 confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic.
Bulloch Schools
The Bulloch County Schools system has reported 10 new cases this week for a total of 197 COVID cases since classes started on Aug. 17.
Local colleges
Georgia Southern reported 26 new cases for the week of Nov. 30–Dec. 6. Georgia Southern will report again on Monday, Dec. 14.
East Georgia State College reported one new case of COVID-19 on Wednesday. The college has had a total of 106 cases across its three campuses since Aug. 17.
Ogeechee Technical College reported no new positive COVID tests for the week of Nov. 30–Dec. 6. The college has had a total of 38 cases across its campuses since Aug. 17. OTC will report again on Monday, Dec. 14.
Testing sites
The Bulloch County Health Department, 1 W. Altman St. in Statesboro, continues to serve as a COVID-19 testing site, or specimen point of collection. It operates 8 a.m. till noon Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. To schedule a free test, call (855) 473-4374 or visit www.sehdph.org/covid-19, where a test can be scheduled online.
Additional free COVID-19 testing continues Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon at Luetta Moore Park, 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.