County Reports Six COVID-19 Deaths, Including Five Sullivan Residents

Franklin County said on Friday that six people have died from COVID-19, with five of them being Sullivan residents.

The deaths occurred between September and December.

According to the report, they are identified as all men. Two were 51 and the others were aged 79, 88 and 97.

A 90-year-old Washington man was the other death.

Franklin County has lost 232 residents to COVID-19 and another 39 have been listed as probable deaths.

The county reported 371 total cases on Friday, with hospitalizations dropping to eight.

There are nine cases in long-term care facilities.

State

Cases in Missouri rose by 8% week-over-week.

The state reported 15,478 new cases for the week ending Dec. 21.

The daily average was 2,211.

Missouri has confirmed 792,774 cases.

Twenty-five new deaths were reported, raising the total to 12,964.

The seven-day positivity rate was 13.9%, which was a 1.2% decrease week-over-week.

Vaccine

More than a year into administering vaccines, the state has seen only 53.4% of its total population complete the vaccine.

More than 60% have initiated the vaccine.

There have been 1 million booster doses administered in the last four months.

Data from the Missouri Department of Health and Human Services shows that more booster shots are being administered than first and second doses.

A little more than 71% of the 18 and older population have initiated the vaccine and 63.7% have completed it.

Hospitalizations

COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to approach the peak reached in August, but off from last winter.

As of Dec. 22, there was more than 2,000 people hospitalized with the virus.

There were 454 people in ICUs.

In the St. Louis region, there were 832 people hospitalized, the most since mid-August when 860 people were admitted.

Of those, 183 are in ICUs.