Health Dept. Confirms First COVID-Related Death In County In 2021

The first COVID-related death of 2021 in Ripley County was announced Tuesday morning, Jan. 4.

Coroner Mike Jackson and health center director Jan Morrow confirmed the deceased was a county resident who suffered from COVID-19 ‘among other underlying conditions.’

“We extend our sincere sympathy to this family and keep them in our thoughts and prayers,” Jackson and Morrow said in a prepared statement.

The death is the 12th confirmed in Ripley County with a link to COVID-19 since March 2020.

As of noon Tuesday, Morrow said there are 15 new cases of COVID-19 in the county since Jan. 1. During 2020, a total of 722 positive cases were confirmed in the county.