Mixed news on the COVID-19 front on the day as local numbers bumped up by 8, but some numbers went down after Polk County saw a trio of new deaths at midweek.

The increase in today’s numbers brought the total positives to 1,529 overall since tracking began, and in today’ report the positive rate remained at 13% even though the two-week moving average was now down to a 4.2% positive rate, a decrease of two-tenths of a percentage point from day-to-day.

COVID-19 testing stood at 11,761 results submitted in total, an increase of 61 test result on the day.

Of note, after an increase of the three deaths and three hospitalizations on the day, both categories saw flat numbers on the day remaining at 21 deaths and 111 hospital patients treated in total.

Per the update from the Georgia Department of Public Health, the statewide positive rate based on the 3.3 million+ test results submitted back dropped to 9.9%.

Today’s updated tally went up by 1,297 positives for 327,407 COVID-19 case in the state overall per the afternoon report. Statewide, there were 78 new hospital patients admitted to medical centers, bringing that overall figure to 29,386 who have needed treatment for COVID-19. That figure includes 5,453 intensive care patients who have been treated in Georgia since tracking began.

Sadly, Georgia saw a slight uptick in the number of deaths with 36 added to bring the overall tally to 7,294. Of note, the number of new death statewide has stayed below 50 for the past 13 days in a row. The last time the number of new deaths came close to 100 at a time was the 98 reported on September 23.

Nationwide, the increase of new cases from Tuesday to Wednesday confirmed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention was at 53,051, bringing the overall figure to 7,528,313 cases that have been reported by the states to the Atlanta-based agency since earlier in the year.

The number of deaths related to COVID-19 now stood at 211,132 confirmed, an increase of 900 from October 6 to October 7.