Though nine Allegan County residents lost their lives this past week due to the Coronavirus pandemic, indications continue to show the disease’s impact is on the decline.
The Allegan County Health Department reported Friday that 317 people now have died from the Covid-19 virus since March 2020, but the most recent variant, Omicron, has slowed its spread significantly, particularly since late January.
The daily average of new Covid cases over a seven-day period on Jan. 27 was 186.6, but that figure has decreased to 88 as of Feb. 4.
The rate of positivity in testing now has remained about the same at 35.2 percent.
Total hospitalizations since March 2020 are pegged at 418, just one more than the week before, and there have been 26,063 cases reported in Allegan County since the pandemic began. A total of 21,157 people have been identified officially as recovered.
The new Omicron variant has been identified as being much more highly contagious than others, such as Delta. Though it has been dominant since late fall, its threat has been reduced.
All three local school districts are back with classroom instruction. Wayland Middle School last Friday had a one-day break for virtual instruction.
