WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – New Hanover County Public Health officials say they were notified of four deaths of residents over the past week bringing the number of COVID-19-related deaths in the county in September to 62.
That total marks the highest number of COVID-19 deaths in the county in a single month since the beginning of the pandemic.
The total number of COVID-19 deaths during the pandemic in New Hanover County is 267.
“Of the 62 deaths reported in September, the ages of those who died and were unvaccinated skewed younger than those who died and were fully vaccinated,” the county stated in a news release. “Reported deaths in unvaccinated individuals averaged 56 years old, compared to an average age of 77 years old in vaccinated individuals.”
The county says 65 percent of deaths reported in the unvaccinated population were in their 30′s, 40′s or 50′s, while more than 85 percent of deaths reported in vaccinated individuals were in their 70′s or older.
“There’s still this myth out there that being young makes you immune to serious illness from COVID-19 and it’s simply not true,” said Health and Human Services Director Donna Fayko. “What we’ve been seeing is that those who are unvaccinated are facing more serious health outcomes than those who are vaccinated, and sadly, many of the people who have died from COVID-19 this month were in the younger age ranges.
“We still need more people to get vaccinated to protect themselves. Vaccinations not only help you build protection against COVID-19 but help our entire community build protection so that we can fight this virus, save lives, and keep our community moving forward.”
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