The number of COVID-19-related deaths in Pettis County continues to climb.

According to unofficial minutes from the Pettis County COVID-19 Task Force meeting on Monday, October 18, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services says there have now been 102 deaths- up from 100 the week before.

Health officials say there are 11 individuals hospitalized at Bothwell Regional Health Center in Sedalia, as compared to nine last week. The age range is 45-89. There are three patients on a ventilator compared to one last week. The ventilator patients were not vaccinated.

As of October 18, there were a total of 7,295 positive cases, as compared to 7,235 cases on October 11 and 7,151 on October 4. This is an increase of 60 cases in the past week and 144 cases in the past two weeks. The DHSS website is reporting Pettis County has a positivity rate of 6.4 percent for the past seven days, which is a decrease from 8.6 percent for the last week with PCR testing.

For the period October 11-18, there were 82 positive tests reported and 21 were fully vaccinated for a break through rate of 25.6 percent, which leaves an unvaccinated rate of 74.4 percent. Most of the breakthrough cases received the Pfizer vaccine. The month of last vaccination for the highest number of cases was February with 10, followed by March and April with four each. Two positive people were partially vaccinated.