The Allegan County Health Department today announced that there have been 19 deaths as a result of the Coronavirus over the last four weeks, bringing the toll since March 2020 to 199.

The weekly statistical report said there were six more Covid-19s deaths in the past week, and even some local public officials have been affected lately as well, having to talke part in meetings via telephone of on-line.

The testing positivity rate for the disease is now 19.7 percent, an increase from 17.6 percent. There have been 17 new hospitalizations over the past two weeks and the average daily number of cases has skyrocketed to 73 after showing in the mid-40s.

A total of 758 cases has been reported in the county over the past two weeks, down slightly from previous reporting of 773. There now have been 342 hospitalizations from Covid in Allegan County since the pandemic began. The number of tests is 24,817, and 13,591 patients have been characterized as recovered.

Wayland High School reported three cases of Covid-19 at the middle school this week.

The Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 has been approved and it will be administered starting next week