ANALYSIS: Athens, state see slight decrease in COVID-19 cases

Last week, Athens-Clarke County saw a slight decrease in the rate of new confirmed COVID-19 cases compared to the week before. However, the cases in ACC have been on a steady rise overall since December 2020.  From Jan. 14-20, ACC reported 502 new confirmed cases, compared to 749 from Jan. 7-13. According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, the seven-day average positivity rate fell from 15.2% on Jan. 13 to 14.2% on Jan. 20. Although this is a slight drop, it is still high. The World Health Organization and Johns Hopkins University recommend positivity rates should stay at 5% or lower. From Jan. 14-20, ACC reported seven more confirmed COVID-19 deaths since the week before, bringing the total to81 since the start of the pandemic.