Cases in Polk County increased again – just barely by double digits – and the number of new hospital patients increased as well in the latest Department of Public Health data report released this afternoon.

The DPH’s data cited 11 new positives for the virus and five new hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases in August alone to 408, and the number of hospital patients added to the tally at 25.

Fortunately, the number of deaths from the virus remained at 12 on the day. The last increase to that figure was reported on Wednesday after an 84-year-old woman perished from the virus. She was the sixth death reported from the virus this month so far, though comorbidity factors were involved.

Polk County’s positive rate based on the number of tests conducted locally stood at 14.8% still, which results in around 7,243 total tests administered locally since tracking began.

One note of news with additional DPH data available: Polk County’s two-week positive rate stood at 15.2%, which remains midway between additional area rates. Bartow despite case growth stood at 9% of new positives in testing over the past two weeks, Paulding at 7.7% and Floyd at 10.3%.

But compared to the growth of new cases in Haralson County in past weeks – 25.2% growth – Polk County’s rate looks to be slightly better.

However, Polk County’s overall positive rate still remains several percentage points above the state rate, which as of Sunday afternoon’s release of data stood at 10.6%.

That was with 253,949 positives reported as of Sunday afternoon, an increase of a new 1,739 cases over the past day’s data per the DPH. Georgia has conducted more than 2.4 million tests since tracking began in late February.

Georgia’s new hospitalizations dropped day-over-day with only 44 new patients reported statewide, bringing the overall figure to 23,369 patients treated for the virus. Out of that total, some 4,265 patients have needed intensive care treatment in medical facilities statewide.

Sadly, Georgia’s death toll increased again due to the virus. Some 5,132 people have died in total due to COVID-19, an increase of another 42 Georgians in the past 24 hours.

As of the CDC’s report for August 23, they reported a confirmed 5,643,812 cases of COVID-19 since tracking began as of Saturday, August 22. That was a day-to-day increase of a new 45,265 positives for the virus.

The agency also reported that a new 1,006 deaths as of August 22 brought the nationwide tally since tracking began of Americans who have perished due to the virus as 175,651.

According to the CDC data, Georgia remains fifth in the nation for the total number of cases.

Some important reminders about COVID-19:

• Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms, and some people may not have symptoms at all but remain a carrier of the virus.
• Older adults and people who have underlying health issues – such as lung or heart disease and diabetes – have a higher risk for developing more serious complications from the virus.
• Symptoms include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting and diarrhea. Additional symptoms may present themselves, though the CDC will update as they go along as to what those might be. They haven’t yet, of note.
• You need to seek medical attention if it becomes difficult to keep a breath in your lungs, you have persistent pain or pressure on the chest, confusion, inability to wake or stay awake and bluish lips or face.

COVID-19 is spread through close contact with people – within six feet – usually through person-to-person contact, or because of being too close to someone who is infected who is sneezing, coughing or talking. Because people can be asymptomatic, you can have COVID-19 and not know you are spreading it to someone you love.

For this reason, please remember to wear a mask, keep a personal bubble of six feet around you, cover your coughs and sneezes if you don’t wear a mask, use hand sanitizer and be aware of how much you are touching your face, mouth, nose and eyes.

Also, avoid going out when possible or take preventative measures like wearing a mask, using hand sanitizer and avoiding close contact when out shopping or at events.

One reminder of importance: the GHSA has limited the amount of spectators that are allowed at sporting events this year, so keep that in mind if you’re able to attend football games this fall. Additional information will be coming later this week about how those plans will work out.