COVID-19 update

ATLANTA – Georgia’s COVID-19 cases rose by close to 6,000 overnight according to the Georgia Department of Public Health report released Tuesday.

Georgia has reported 552,712 confirmed cases and 92,978 antigen cases — an increase of 3,777 antigen cases since Monday — since the start of the pandemic.

The state reports antigen cases — results from rapid virus tests — as part of its daily status report.

The state has recorded 41 virus-related deaths since Monday, bringing the toll Tuesday to 9,749 deaths statewide. The GDPH suspects there have also been 1,020 probable deaths related to the virus.

More than 5.2 million COVID-19 tests have been performed with a 9.9% positive rate, health officials reported.

The state has performed more than 400,000 antibody tests — which show signs of past infection — with the state reporting an 11.3% positivity rate.

So far, more than 43,000 Georgians have been vaccinated against the virus.