Georgia Sets New Single-Day Coronavirus Case Record

ATLANTA, GA — The Georgia Department of Public Health's COVID-19 status update showed 10,393 new cases of coronavirus on Friday — the highest single-day total since the pandemic began, according to the public health department's data.

Friday's total surpassed the New Year's Day record by more than 1,600 cases, data shows. Georgia's total case count is now 620,247 cases with a 10.5 percent positivity rate.

This number does not include the 3,032 antigen-positive quick tests, which are slightly less accurate than direct tests. Most other states include those tests with their totals. Added together, Georgia reported more than 13,000 positive tests for COVID-19 over the last 24 hours.

The state also reported 80 more coronavirus-related deaths — bringing the total to 10,180 deaths — and 391 additional hospitalizations, bringing the total to 44,187 hospitalizations due to the coronavirus as of 3 p.m. Jan. 8.

Georgia's new case record comes on the same day that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp gave an update on the COVID-19 vaccine distribution in the state. Kemp said during a news conference Friday that the state has the capacity to administer 11,428 doses per day.

So far, Georgians over the age of 65, first responders, long-term care facility residents and staff, and health care workers are allowed to receive the vaccine as long as there are doses available. The rising case counts called for several school districts, including Fulton County Schools, to move to all-virtual learning next week.