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

The notice comes as the county continues to observe an increase in cases in long-term care facilities.

The Unified Command is also reporting that they are tracking an uptick in cases related to local businesses, factories, schools and athletes as well as cases at large weddings and parties.

The seventh COVID-19 death was of a 67-year-old whose gender and identity are being withheld due to HIPAA regulations.

According to the Command Center, that individual died while hospitalized.

As reported by Y-City News last week, the sixth COVID-19 death was recorded on Thursday, October 22 of an 86-year-old resident.

The Command Center is also reporting that an additional 57 Muskingum County residents have tested positive for the Coronavirus over the weekend.

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.

However, according to Dr. Jack Butterfield, Safety Officer for the Unified Command, Muskingum County is currently only triggering two of the seven indicators which affect the county’s COVID-19 alert level status.

Butterfield urges the public to continue to be diligent about their health and to limit their interactions with others as much as possible while also maintaining to wear a mask and practice social distancing.

To date, there have been 959 confirmed cases, 22 probable cases, 981 total cases, 155 active cases, 19 current hospitalizations, 104 total hospitalizations and 7 deaths.