As the Omicron variant surges across Georgia and the United States, Habersham County this week hit a sobering milestone.
On December 21, Habersham recorded its 200th COVID-related death, according to data from the Georgia Department of Public Health. COVID has now directly caused or contributed to the deaths of at least 201 Habersham County residents since the pandemic began. That is the third-highest death toll in Northeast Georgia behind Jackson County (217) and Hall County (653).
Clarke County, which has a population nearly three times the size of Habersham, has recorded 180 deaths since the pandemic began in March 2020.
Habersham County’s statistical death rate per 100,000 is among the highest in the region at 438.9. Only Towns and Union counties have higher per capita rates at 573.4 and 473.7, respectively. Jackson County has had 290.5 deaths per 100,000 and Hall County 316.5.
MORE: Kemp, Carr file another lawsuit challenging vaccine mandates
On Wednesday, Dec. 22, Georgia saw the highest level of new cases since early October with the state reporting nearly 5,800 cases. Statewide, the seven-day case average has more than doubled in the last week.
Public health officials confirm that at least 26,179 Georgians have died with COVID since the pandemic began. DPH lists another 4,945 deaths as probable COVID deaths.
In the U.S., COVID has claimed at least 810,924 lives. Globally, the death toll exceeds 276.8 million, according to Johns Hopkins University.
SEE ALSO
This article has been updated to reflect data released on Dec. 22, 2021
