The omicron variant, a shorter incubation period and families gathering for the holidays have combined to create a perfect storm of new COVID-19 cases nationwide.

Ninety-eight Tallapoosa County residents have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past seven days, a rate of about 12 new cases per day since omicron hit the state, according to Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) data. The seven-day caseload is nearly double the previous week's.