The Muskingum County Joint Unified Command Center is reporting a fifth COVID-19 death of a local resident.

The notice comes as Genesis Hospital continues to experience both its general and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds reaching capacity.

Muskingum County also continues to experience more COVID-19 patient hospitalizations than at any time since the pandemic began.

The fifth registered COVID-19 death was of a 36-year-old whose gender and identity are being withheld due to HIPAA regulations.

According to the Command Center, that individual died due to “COVID-19 pneumonia.”

As reported by Y-City News earlier this week, the fourth COVID-19 death to be recorded was on Wednesday, October 14 of a 73-year-old resident.

The Command Center is also reporting that an additional 15 Muskingum County residents have tested positive for the Coronavirus.

Due to the increased warnings, county residents are recommended to decrease in-person interactions with others, consider only necessary travel and limit attending gatherings of any number.

Muskingum County remains at a Level 3 Red Public Health Emergency as categorized by the Ohio Department of Health.

To date, there have been 750 confirmed cases, 17 probable cases, 767 total cases, 117 active cases, 13 current hospitalizations, 89 total hospitalizations and 5 deaths.