Kerr County records 8th COVID-19 death in October

Over 22 days, from Sept. 13 through Oct. 5, at least 20 Kerr County residents died from COVID-19 — one of the worst stretches for fatalities in Kerr County's pandemic history. The latest reported death happened on Oct. 3, but the Texas Department of State Health Services reported it on Friday.

During an 18-day stretch, from Sept. 13 through Oct. 1, someone died every day in Kerr County from COVID-19. It was the longest streak of deaths during the pandemic, and accounting for it may not be over. It takes 10 days or more to process death certificates.

However, the numbers get confusing because there is often a lack of agreement about calculating the numbers. DSHS does not count deaths from nursing homes, assisted living homes, VA hospitals or state hospitals. It's also unclear if the death toll includes home deaths.

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Since Aug. 1, across Texas, more than 16,000 people have died from COVID-19. In that same period, COVID-19 appears to have claimed the lives of 48 in Kerr County. Here are the deaths The Lead has compiled since Oct. 1:

• Oct. 1, as reported by Texas Department of State Health Services.
• Oct. 3, as reported by Texas Department of State Health Services (Reported on Oct. 22)
• Oct. 5, as reported by Texas Department of State Health Services.
• Oct. 10, as reported by Texas Department of State Health Services.
• Oct. 10, as reported by Texas Department of State Health Services (Reported on Oct. 21)
• Oct. 14, as reported by Peterson Regional Medical Center. (Reported on Oct. 15)
• Oct. 14, as reported by Texas Department of State Health Services (Reported on Oct. 20).
• Oct. 14, as reported by Texas Department of State Health Services (Reported on Oct. 21).

Peterson Regional Medical Center saw the number of people hospitalized tick back to eight on Friday, including four in the intensive care unit.

Kerr County remains at 50% fully vaccinated when it comes to vaccination, with 56% having received at least one dose of vaccine. The vaccination rate has moved incrementally in recent weeks, barely budging above 56%. The largest vaccination demographic are those 16 to 49 years old — about 31% of the county's vaccinations.