COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – While local health officials struggle to schedule vaccination clinics since the demand for COVID-19 vaccination exceeds the amount of vaccine that is being allocated to the tri-county area, the death toll related to the virus in Branch County continues to rise.
Thursday’s report from the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency shows 76 Branch County residents have died after testing positive for COVID-19. Ten of the deaths have taken place since December 28. All but five of the deaths have been since October 1.
Branch County has had the most COVID-19 deaths in the health agency’s jurisdiction. St. Joseph County has had 68 deaths while Hillsdale County has recorded 67 deaths.
The number of positive cases in Branch County is now at 3,222.
The Dearth Community Center was the site of a vaccination clinic on Thursday. The Community Health Agency reports 179 doses were administered. Another 20 doses have been set aside for a long term care facility which will be administered to people who are in category 1A.
Officials are expected to find out sometime Friday if additional vaccine is on the way. A clinic has been tentatively scheduled to take place in Union City next Wednesday. Residents are asked to monitor www.bhsj.org for updated information.
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