For the first time since the pandemic started in March, Georgia topped 5,000 new cases of COVID-19 reported in a single day.

The state Department of Health reported 5,023 new cases Friday afternoon, surpassing the previous single-day high of 4,782 cases recorded on July 24. Friday marked another ominous first in Georgia – it was the third day in a row the state saw more than 4,000 new cases. The state had recorded more than 4,000 new cases for two consecutive days on two other occasions, but never three days in a row.

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 100,755 virus patients were hospitalized in the United States as of Friday, according to the COVID Tracking Project.

There are currently 2,691 COVID patients hospitalized in Georgia, the Tracking Project reported Friday. That total is 396 more than the previous Friday. The single-day record for most hospitalizations was July 30, when 3,200 people were hospitalized in Georgia.

In his report Friday, Bulloch County Public Safety/Emergency Management Agency Director Ted Wynn said the county reported 17 new cases and has now recorded 3,343 total COVID cases, which have resulted in 35 deaths and 153 local residents being hospitalized since the pandemic began in March.

Also, the state Department of Health is reporting an additional 21 deaths 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. 

In his Friday report, Wynn said East Georgia Regional Medical Center staff were caring for nine COVID patients, with three patients on ventilators.

Bulloch EMS has transported a total of 132 people with probable COVID-19 and 157 with confirmed cases.

State, national case numbers

Georgia reported 5,023 cases on Wednesday. The state has recorded 22,326 new cases in the past seven days, bringing the state's total number of confirmed cases up to 438,300. The state has averaged nearly 3,200 new cases per day since Nov. 28. Georgia reported 43 deaths on Friday, raising the death toll to 8,922.

According to statistics from the Johns Hopkins University of Medicine, as of Friday afternoon, 277,693 Americans had died from coronavirus. Also, Johns Hopkins reported the U.S. has had 14,249,105 confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic.

Bulloch schools

The Bulloch County Schools system has reported five new cases this week for a total of 186 COVID cases since classes started on Aug. 17.

Local colleges

Georgia Southern reported 13 cases for the week of Nov. 23–29, down six cases from the previous week. Georgia Southern will report again on Monday.

East Georgia State College reported two new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday. The college has had a total of 103 cases across its three campuses since Aug. 17.

Ogeechee Technical College reported no new positive COVID tests for the week of Nov. 23-29. The college has had a total of 38 cases across its campuses since Aug. 17.

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.