Additional COVID-19 deaths reported by the county health department | COVID19

The Franklin County Health Department reported two confirmed deaths and two estimated deaths from COVID-19 on Friday.

These deaths occurred in October and November, but it often takes weeks for the health department to determine the cause of death.

With these additions, Franklin County has a confirmed death toll of 221 and an estimated death toll of 38.

The dead were a 48-year-old female from Union, a 73-year-old female from Gerald, a 61-year-old female from Washington, and a 45-year-old male from Union.

According to a weekly update from the Franklin County Health Department, 187 new COVID-19 cases occurred in the county from November 20th to 25th. Due to the holidays, the weekly updates reflected 6 days of data instead of the usual 7 days.

Over the last 6 days, an average of 31.17 new cases have occurred per day. Last week, from November 13th to 19th, the Department of Health reported 194 cases, an average of 27.71 cases per day.

To date, there are 13,554 COVID-19 cases in Franklin County, with an additional 3,498 listed as possible.

According to the latest information from the Ministry of Health, the positive rate (the rate at which the COVID-19 test returned positive) was 14.2 percent in the county over the last 6 days. According to the Ministry of Health, from November 13th to 19th, the number was 12 percent.

According to the update, three people are currently hospitalized in the county and have been quarantined for COVID-19. Last week, four people were hospitalized and isolated.

Meanwhile, 51.8% of Franklin County residents have been vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine at least once, and 47.6% have been fully vaccinated. These numbers will continue to increase over time.

Last week, 50.6 percent of county residents were vaccinated at least once, and 46.9 percent of county residents were fully vaccinated.

Throughout the state, as of Friday, 57.8% of Missourians have been vaccinated at least once and 50.9% have been fully vaccinated.

Dr. Ann Elizabeth Mohart, Chief Medical Officer at Mercy Hospital Washington, said she believes the increase in cases is “multifactorial.”

She has this increasing tendency for the cold to bring people indoors where the respiratory virus survives longer and is more likely to spread the virus, and the tendency of people to travel and attend major events at this time of the year. He said it was likely behind him.

The trip is expected to increase as the holiday season continues.

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“The important thing is to carefully monitor our situation during that particular period,” Mohart said of how weekly coronavirus data impacts this year’s family vacation plans. ..

She said it was important not to get together in a huge group. She encourages people to keep their holiday celebrations within their family units and among those who are already regularly exposed.

“This year shouldn’t be a year to attend a big holiday party with people you don’t usually see,” she said. “It’s time we start seeing the real problem of communication.”

She said you are safe without a mask at holiday festivals, as long as you are with people you already see on a regular basis.

She said the number of cases increased significantly after Thanksgiving and she believes the rest of the holiday season is “very realistic.”

New variant

Mohart also discussed the newly discovered COVID-19 variant. This is now called the omicron variant.

On Thursday night, South African scientists announced that they had discovered a variant of new concern about the virus, as reported by several media outlets, including the Associated Press. A group of World Health Organization scientists met on Friday to discuss variants with about 30 mutations in the components of the peaplomer, or virus that binds to cells.

Mohart said health officials have not identified cases of this new variant as a result of investigating sewer wastewater in the area and identifying the genotypes of patients in Franklin County and Missouri. At this point, she said, they have only found delta variants of the virus. But authorities are keeping an eye on it.