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VALDOSTA — South Georgia Medical Center reported only 14 hospitalized COVID-19 patients Thursday – increasing by one since Monday.

However, COVID-19-related deaths have continued this week.

The county has reported 221 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. The county reported two virus-related deaths since Monday.

South Georgia Medical Center reported a death Thursday, rising to 442 virus-related deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. Not all patients are Lowndes County residents.

Lowndes County has reported more than 10,931 virus cases since the start of the pandemic, according to the GDPH.

There have been more than 10,269 antigen positive cases reported in Lowndes and 87 probable deaths since the pandemic began, according to the report.

The GDPH reported that decreases are a result of human error.

SGMC reported that 57 is the average age of its hospitalized COVID-19 patients and 55 is the average age for ventilated patients, according to data taken between Oct. 15-21.

Other data provided by the hospital includes that 78% of the 14 hospitalized patients were unvaccinated. Eighty-five percent of the ventilated patients are unvaccinated.

SGMC has released 2,315 patients who were diagnosed with the virus since the start of the pandemic.

SGMC has reported 43,896 vaccinations administered.