Jasper County’s Rate of New COVID-19 Cases Is Declining

Jasper County COVID-19 case numbers currently total 220 confirmed cases and 100 presumptive cases for a total 320, according to the North Central Health District of the Georgia Department of Health.

The September 28 weekly update covers the NCHD 13 county region of which Jasper is part. The report shows that cases are still increasing in Jasper however the rate of increase of new cases is declining. The incidence rate of COVID-19 for Jasper County residents during the current two week period was 135 per 100,000 population whereas the previous two week incidence rate was 221 per 100,000 population. The difference is a 39 percent decrease in newly confirmed COVID-19 cases amongst Jasper County from the previous two week period to the current one, according to the report.

The total number of confirmed cases for the health district are 16,648 with the average age of 41. There have been 1,966 hospitalizations; 513 deaths at a median age of 74.

The Jasper County Charter System (JCCS) is also reporting a decline in new cases in the school system, recording no new cases involving employees and only one new case involving students for the week of September 19-25.

The total number of students currently placed in quarantine due to exposure is 27 as the total number of employees currently placed in quarantine due to exposure is three, according JCCS Supt. Kenny Garland.

The total number of confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases involving JCCS students since school began in August 2020 is 11 while the total number of confirmed and presumptive cases involving employees since the year began is nine.

Currently, 98.93 percent of students and employees participating in on campus activities are not in quarantine. JCCS has 2,402 students enrolled for both online (666)instruction and face-to-face (1,736) instruction.