The Northeast Health District of the Georgia Department of Public Health reported 51 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 at noon on Wednesday, the largest increase ever recorded in the district by a daily status report in a 24-hour-period.

Every county but one in the 10-county Northeast Health District reported an increase in cases, with Barrow County reporting 24 new cases.

Oconee County reported two new cases and no deaths in the Daily Status Report, but the separate Long Term Care Facility COVID-19 Report issued by the Department of Public Health listed a recent death at High Shoals Health and Rehabilitation nursing facility in North High Shoals.

The Long-Term Care Facility Report also showed the number of COVID Positive Residents at the nursing facility increasing from one to 12 from May 1 to May 5 and an increase in the COVID-positive staff from one to two during that time period.

The report shows the number of residents at the North High Shoals nursing home dropping from 81 to 80 with the reported death.

The Department of Public Health consistently has shown discrepancies between the Daily Status Report and the Long Term Care Facility COVID-19 Report, and, based on the Daily Status Report, Oconee County added only one confirmed COVID-19 case between May 1 and May 5.

Barrow County added a facility to the Long-Term Care Facility Report, Mulberry Grove in Statham, with one staff member reported as COVID-19 positive.

The Daily Status Report for 11:25 a.m. on Wednesday added one confirmed COVID-19 death in the Northeast Health District, of a 64-year-old woman in Jackson County. That brings the total number of deaths attributed to the disease to three in Jackson County and 35 in the district.

With the large number of cases added on Wednesday, the seven-day-rolling average of added cases in the Northeast Health District increased from 24.4 to 27.1.

For more, visit Oconee County Observations.