Georgia reported over 4,800 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus on Friday, the highest one-day total since the start of the pandemic, capping a week that also saw the state report its highest-yet death toll.
Those confirmed cases came with a new single-day high-water mark in overall tests conducted, at more than 45,000. Georgia Department of Public Health spokeswoman Nancy Nydam says the increase in total tests reported Friday “was from backlogs at a couple of the labs from last week.”
The state has recorded over 160,000 total confirmed cases, though experts say that many more people are likely infected but never tested.
There were 3,135 currently hospitalized with the virus in Georgia on Friday, nearly double the 1,570 people hospitalized on July 1.
Deaths have been rising sharply in the state.
