On Friday, Nov. 20, Franklin County released statistics showing an additional 18 deaths in the county due to COVID-19. The last death reported by county before then was on Nov. 5 when eight deaths …
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On Friday, Nov. 20, Franklin County released statistics showing an additional 18 deaths in the county due to COVID-19. The last death reported by county before then was on Nov. 5 when eight deaths were reported at once. After Friday’s report, the county’s total deaths went from 57 to 75. The latest report showed an 85-year-old man from Gerald and a 76-year-old man from Beaufort dying from the virus. There were also five deaths from New Haven, five from St. Clair, four from Washington and one each from Union and Villa Ridge.
There were 439 new active cases reported in the county in the last week, with 11 of those in the Gerald area. 24 people are currently hospitalized in the county with the virus and there are 79 active cases in long-term care facilities.
In an effort to slow the spread of the deadly virus, county officials issued a mask mandate last week until noon Dec. 20.
Since the mandate went into effect last Friday at midnight, many more people are wearing masks in local businesses. Still, too many are not.
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week were already scheduled days off for students at Gerald Elementary. The district ordered classes also be cancelled for Monday and Tuesday in an effort to slow the virus’s spread.
City officials held their first virtual meeting last week in order to avoid personal contact amongst themselves and the public.