Two years in and the COVID-19 pandemic still shows no signs of stopping, as the Omicron variant of the virus is taking case totals to new heights in Macon County and the rest of the United States.
On Jan. 31, the latest COVID-19 data from Macon County Public Health said that there were 628 active COVID-19 cases in the county, compared to just 51 on Dec. 22, the last set of data released before Christmas. Furthermore, 98 COVID-19 patients in the county had died, with 10 more passing away since Christmas, all of them reported just since last Wednesday.
These cases are driven mostly by the Omicron variant, the latest strain of the virus which was first identified last November and which scientists believe transmits more easily than the original strain.
“Our seven-day case rate per 100,000 is 998.38, which is remarkably high,” director of nursing Jennifer Garrett said at the Macon County Board of Health meeting on Jan. 25. “It’s a high transmission time right now. Everybody needs to be very aware.”
The Health Department has tested 15,034 people for COVID-19 since the pandemic began, equal to over 40% of the county’s population. Tests have become something of a precious commodity, especially since many employers require a negative test to return to work after an exposure or infection. The federal government began offering free tests to all Americans via mail on Jan. 19, but disbursal has been slow due to high demand. Local pharmacies have also been working with short supplies.
“Everybody around here that I’ve talked to is really struggling to keep them in stock,” board chair Mitchell Bishop said.
Hospitalizations have also been on the rise. “There are over 200 patients within the Mission system right now that are COVID positive,” Public Health Director Kathy McGaha said. “What I’ve been told is that they’re not as serious as they were with Delta, in not necessarily needing to be intubated as frequently as they were with Delta, but they still ended up in the hospital.”
Some patients with COVID are initially hospitalized for unrelated conditions, although having COVID as an additional complication won’t help their recovery.
Omicron is still relatively new and scientists are still debating how it differs from Delta and the original virus. However, the Centers for Disease Control still have the same basic suggestions that it’s had for most of the pandemic – wash your hands, maintain social distance, wear a mask in mixed company and get vaccinated.
For more information on or to schedule a vaccination, booster or test, call Macon County Public Health at 828-349-2081 or go online to maconnc.org/covid-19.html.