The Northeast Health District added 81 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and four new deaths in the 1 p.m. Department of Public Health Daily Status Report on Wednesday.

The number of new cases is the largest number ever added in a 24-hour period, and the seven-day rolling average of added cases jumped from 24.9 on Tuesday to 34.4 on Wednesday.

The seven-day rolling average of COVID-19 deaths in the 10-county region also increased from 1.4 on Tuesday to 1.9 on Wednesday, as the region has added 13 deaths in the last seven days.

Every county but Morgan and Oglethorpe added at least one confirmed COVID-19 case in the Daily Status Report, with Oconee County adding four cases and Clarke County adding 25.

The new deaths were of a 78-year-old woman in Barrow County, an 83-year-old man in Jackson County, an 81-year-old woman in Oglethorpe County, and an 89-year-old man in Walton County.

The Department of Community Health Long-Term Care Facility Report added 14 deaths at long-term care facilities in the 10-county Northeast Health District from its report on May 22 to its most recent report issued late on Tuesday.

Two of those deaths were at the High Shoals Health and Rehabilitation nursing home in North High Shoals in western Oconee County, which has reported a total of six deaths.

The most recent report lists 40 of its 71 residents with COVID-19 and six staff with the disease. Both are increases from the report on May 22.

The Georgia Emergency Management Agency Situation Report COVID-19 for Tuesday reported that the number of available Critical Care Beds at area hospitals increased to 15 on Tuesday from 12 on Saturday. The hospitals have a total of 70 such beds.

For more, visit Oconee County Observations.