U.S. passed 1 million COVID deaths. More than 1,700 of those were in Stark County

The United States surpassed one million COVID-19 deaths this week, a tragic milestone in the more than two-year fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Worldwide, the COVID-19 deaths are more than 6 million. 

Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases are increasing again, as a combination of omicron subvariants, waning vaccine efficacy and relaxed public health measures create an environment for the illness to continue spreading. 

"We recently reached a terrible milestone as a nation in this pandemic: 1 million lives lost," Stark County Health Commissioner Kirkland Norris said. "The past two years have been a challenge for many Stark County families. None more so than those who lost a loved one to COVID-19."

Here's a look at where COVID cases stand in Stark County:

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How many COVID cases have there been in Stark County?

On March 10, 2020, Gov. Mike DeWine first declared a state of emergency following the confirmation of three COVID-19 cases in the state. Later analysis found that COVID-19 cases had arrived in Ohio – and Stark County – as early as the end of January 2020. 

In the two years since, more than 2.7 million cases have been reported statewide, with 81,340 in Stark County. The official numbers are likely an undercount, especially in recent months, as at-home testing, which doesn't require the same data reporting as testing by health departments or other entities, has become more accessible. 

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The county also saw 4,176 hospitalizations due to COVID-19 over the same time period. 

How many people in Stark County have died from COVID-19?

The first Stark County death from COVID-19 came less than two weeks after the state's emergency declaration. On March 22, a 58-year-old Nimishillen Township man died at Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital. 

"The pandemic has brought us some of the darkest days in recent memory," Norris said. "Losing a loved one, now or at any time, is devastating to family and friends of that person. We send our sincere condolences to those Stark County families who have lost someone to COVID-19."

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Statewide, 38,590 Ohioans have died from COVID-19. In Stark County, 1,718 residents have died from the virus. The current death toll doesn't take into account those who died indirectly as a result of the pandemic, who may have foregone treatment for life threatening conditions or missed critical preventative care. 

Death rates rose early in the pandemic, as hospitals struggled to get the protective equipment they needed to keep health providers safe and as the country struggled to understand the COVID-19 virus and how to approach it.

"It is tragic that we have now lost 1 million people in our country due to COVID," Cleveland Clinic Mercy President Dr. Timothy Crone said. "This sad milestone also makes us reflect on what the country has been through the past two years, and in particular, our caregivers. We are proud of the strength, resilience and compassion our caregivers have displayed throughout the pandemic."

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Despite the challenges of the first bout of COVID-19, the next two years would bring waves of death that dwarfed the initial mortality, particularly as new variants of COVID-19 cropped up. Deaths spiked considerably in the winter, with 681 deaths between Oct. 31, 2020 and March 1, 2021. The next winter was similar, with 547 deaths over the same time period. 

“Treating patients with severe COVID-19 has been the most challenging experience in our professional lives. It has been a battle where we fought for patients, their families and our own sanity," said Dr. Nihad Boutros, medical director of critical care at Aultman Hospital. "It has been an honorable fight during which we reserved nothing and saved so many lives, but lost so many."

Norris said that 2021 was the deadliest year for Stark County, with 805 residents lost to the virus. A preliminary analysis from researchers at the University of Colorado, the Urban Institute and Virginia Commonwealth University found that the country's life expectancy dipped from 78.86 years in 2019 to 76.99 years in 2020 to 76.60 years in 2021.

"While we cannot say what the true impact on life expectancy is yet, we do know that COVID-19 has impacted the physical health of many through infection, the mental health of those who grieve for a loved one, and the financial health of residents through loss of a job," Norris said.

Where does Stark's vaccination progress stand?

The arrival of COVID-19 vaccines in the late winter of 2020 brought hope to the country. Rollout started with frontline workers and over several months expanded to reach the majority of the population. 

In Stark County, 212,906 people have started their vaccinations to date, about 57.45% of the population. The majority of this group jumped on vaccinations early during the summer of 2021, when all adults first became eligible for vaccination.

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Other small increases in Stark's vaccination rates came when eligibility expanded, particularly when children became eligible. 

Vaccine efficacy wanes over time, and as developers learned the efficacy lifespan for COVID-19 vaccines, boosters were developed to help reinforce protection. In Stark County, 108,968 residents have gotten their first booster and 13,857 have received a second booster.

Currently, only those over the age of 50 are eligible for the second booster, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a statement Thursday recommending the expansion of second booster eligibility to immunocompromised people over the age of 12, as well as recommending first boosters for children ages 5 to 11. 

Vaccines and boosters can be located using gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov or through armorvax.com. 

"Today, we have many more tools, such as vaccines, treatments and antivirals, which we did not have at the start of the pandemic," Crone said. "We urge everyone to get vaccinated and boosted –—it’s the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones."

COVID-19 cases are creeping back up 

Nationwide, COVID-19 infections are once again rising, driven by waning vaccine efficacy, new variants and the abandonment of health measures like mask wearing and social distancing. 

Norris said that thus far in Stark, May case counts are down from April. At the beginning of the month, the county saw 327 cases but in the past week that number has declined to 169 cases. 

However, the county is currently averaging 36 new cases per day, up from 19 cases a day in April. 

Hospitalizations are also up slightly. Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital had 14 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 on Thursday, up from six last Wednesday and 10 last Friday. Aultman Hospital had seven patients hospitalized with COVID-19. 

"Sadly, this virus has inflicted so much pain and suffering in our community, and it has also changed and disrupted the lives of so many," Boutros said. "We will never forget the many who lost their lives and families who lost loved ones — your tears and sorrows will live with us forever.” 

Sam Zern can be reached at szern@cantonrep.com or 330-580-8322. You can also find her on Twitter at @sam_zern.