See The Latest COVID-19 Numbers In Cobb County And Its Schools

EAST COBB, GA — New data has just been released on the COVID-19 situation in Cobb County and its schools, and it’s not particularly encouraging.

As of Monday, Cobb and Douglas Public Health is reporting a 14-day case rate of 623 per 100,000 residents, which is more than six times the amount needed to be classified as “high.” On July 1, the number was only around 25. The newest number is down from a late August high of 814, but it is still classified as “critical.”

The county is also reporting a positive test rate of 14 percent, and an average of 552 new confirmed cases per day, or 72.6 per 100,000 residents, according to data from Covid Act Now. This is inching closer to the height of last winter’s surge, which saw an average of 100.8 new daily cases for every 100,000 residents.

Over the last week, there has been a seven-day average of 295 COVID hospitalizations in Cobb County, with 98% of ICU beds filled. The county has averaged 3.3 deaths per day. 51.6% of residents have received both doses of the vaccine, and 57.8% have received at least one.

The situation in schools is also worrying. Cobb and Douglas Public Health reported 658 active cases in Cobb County schools on Friday. Since July 1, there have been 4,402 cases among students and staff.

Addison Elementary School in Northeast Cobb is reporting 32 active COVID-19 cases, with 44 total cases since July 1. Osborne High School in Marietta is reporting 19 cases, while 18 cases have been reported in Campbell Middle School in Smyrna, Vaughan Elementary School in Powder Springs.

Cumulative cases are high in several schools, averaging somewhere around 45. East Side High School in Covington reports 123 cumulative cases, though as of Sep. 10 it is only reporting five cases.

The Cobb Board of Health voted last week to encourage universal masking and vaccination in schools, but it does not have the power to make any policy changes. Unlike public universities, K-12 schools in Georgia do have the power to issue mask mandates, and Cobb County is one of the few districts in metro Atlanta without one.