Six more COVID-related deaths reported in Mercer with cases soaring
Sep. 18—PRINCETON — Six more COVID-related deaths were reported in Mercer County Friday as cases continue to soar and record numbers reached.
According to the state DHHR (Department of Health and Human Resources), a 61-year-old male, a 70-year-old male, a 47-year-old male, a 92-year-old male, a 73-year-old male and a 63-year-old female, all from Mercer County, have died.
That brings the county total to 146, including a 53-year-old female reported Thursday.
A total of 74 new deaths were reported from around the state Friday, bringing the total death toll to 3,370.
Active cases in the state stood at 29,744, a new record number of cases.
COVID-related hospitalizations once again are also at a new record, 922, with 277 in ICUs and 169 on ventilators.
Mercer County reported 1,198 active cases, according to the DHHR, a number that keeps rising, and positive cases are in all age ranges, including 138 cases among those 20 years old and younger.
Gov. Jim Justice said Friday that people will "keep dying" and the only way to eventually stop it is for everyone who can to get vaccinated, or when enough people contract the virus and recover to reach herd immunity.
Justice also reported 88 COVID outbreaks in schools around the state involving 786 cases, with both of those numbers continuing to rise.
— Contact Charles Boothe at cboothe@bdtonline.com
