New coronavirus cases in Georgia have been steadily falling since January, though they are slightly ticking up now and state and federal health officials are concerned about a variant strain of COVID-19 that is showing up in the state.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported over the weekend that a highly infectious variant of the coronavirus that was first identified in Britain is now the most common source of new infections in Georgia, a troubling development that could make the battle ahead to end the pandemic more difficult.
According to surveillance by the Centers for Disease Control from early January through late March, B.1.1.7, a more transmissible and more virulent variant, accounts for at least 46% of all of the state’s cases.
Georgia is not experiencing a jump in new infections like Michigan, which has the nation’s highest rate of new cases. But experts point out B.1.1.7 took hold of Michigan earlier, and Georgia could be just a few weeks behind.
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