Last Friday, federal officials announced they are providing $1.7 billion to public health officials across the country, including $6.7 million to Georgia, to monitor and track fight COVID-19 variants.

The funding comes from the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 economic relief package signed into law last month.  It also comes at a time when Georgia is seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases, although deaths have been holding steady for the most part.

Over the weekend both Walker and Catoosa County reported additional COVID-19 deaths bringing the total to 79 in Walker County and 63 in Catoosa County.  Chattooga County has remained at the same rate for several weeks with a total of 60 deaths attributed to the Coronavirus.