Cobb considered area of 'high community spread' as Delta variant percentage grows

Thomas Hartwell, Marietta Daily Journal, Ga.
·3 min read

Jul. 26—Cobb County has again surpassed what federal health experts consider "high community spread" of COVID-19, amid growing concern over the Delta variant of the virus, according to Cobb & Douglas Public Health.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consider 100 cases per 100,000 county residents, a high rate of transmission. Cobb County has reached 158 cases per 100,000 residents, as of Friday, said Valerie Crow, spokeswoman for Cobb & Douglas Public Health. That number is up from the 111 cases per 100,000 residents reported by Cobb & Douglas Public Health Director Dr. Janet Memark on Tuesday, July 20.

Cases have been on the rise recently in Cobb and elsewhere, as communities see an increase in Delta variant COVID-19 cases and continue to push for more residents to get vaccinated. Crow said the continued increases locally are concerning.

Memark previously reported that 12% of COVID-19 cases reported in Georgia last month were Delta variant cases. That number has risen to 36.6%, Crow said. She also said that hospitalizations locally are once again creeping upward, and younger patients are showing up in greater numbers. However, she added, hospital capacity is not yet an area of concern.

Still, Crow said CDPH is urging all unvaccinated residents ages 12 and older to get vaccinated or, if vaccination isn't possible, to continue wearing a mask and maintaining physical distance in crowds.

In a recent newsletter and COVID-19 update, Memark said vaccines "continue to show protection against this variant."

"Almost all hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 continue to be unvaccinated people," she said.

Georgia DPH reports 52% of Cobb residents had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 47% were fully vaccinated as of Monday. Here's how that compares to area counties:

— Bartow County: 31% of residents with at least one shot; 29% fully vaccinated

— Cherokee County: 45% of residents with at least one shot; 41% fully vaccinated

— Douglas County: 39% of residents with at least one shot; 35% fully vaccinated

— Fulton County: 52% of residents with at least one shot; 47% fully vaccinated

— Paulding County: 33% of residents with at least one shot; 30% fully vaccinated

Meanwhile, 45% of Georgians have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 40% are fully vaccinated, according to the state. Both Cobb and Georgia lag behind the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's report of 56.8% of the American population, or 188.5 million Americans, having received at least one vaccine dose and 49.1%, or 163 million Americans, being fully vaccinated.

Here's a look at Cobb County and state coronavirus numbers reported on Monday, and how they compare to Friday, July 23. All information comes from the Georgia Department of Public Health.

A Cobb-Douglas Public Health report, including data on how the coronavirus is affecting different ZIP codes, genders and ages, is available at reports.mysidewalk.com/17554e75c1#c-452027.

For the Georgia DPH's full report, visit dph.georgia.gov/covid-19-daily-status-report.

National data can be found at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website at cdc.gov.

Follow Thomas Hartwell on Twitter at twitter.com/MDJThomas.