MESA COUNTY RECORDS DEADLIEST MONTH FOR COVID-19
Deaths in the last two months account for more than 30% of total deaths due to COVID-19 in Mesa County
More than 16 months after the first Mesa County resident died of COVID-19, the coronavirus death toll continues to rise. As of December 7, there have been 16 deaths reported for the current month.
In October and November, there were 90 total deaths due to COVID-19 reported to Mesa County Public Health (MCPH), nearly twice as many deaths when compared to the same time last year. The recent deaths account for 33% of the county’s total COVID-19 deaths since the pandemic began.
It is projected that COVID-19 will be the leading cause of death for Mesa County residents in 2021, ahead of heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, Alzheimer’s disease, and suicide which are also leading causes of death.
November’s record-breaking total comes after 41 deaths in October of this year. The two most recent months total more deaths than the previous seven months combined.
From March to September, 82 deaths were reported.
In the last two months alone, more than 50% of total deaths have occurred. Ninety deaths were reported in October and November.
Of the deaths reported last month, seven were between 30 and 59 years old, and ten were between the ages of 60-69. The remainder of deaths occurred in individuals 70 years and older with the majority of deaths occurring in unvaccinated individuals.
These are deaths due to COVID-19, which means a primary cause leading to death was known to be COVID-19. There are additional losses in our community in individuals who died with COVID-19, but their cause of death was not determined to be COVID-19.
Mesa County’s first death Due to COVID-19 was reported in July 2020, and the only pediatric death was reported in May 2021.