Blanchard Valley Health System held a Facebook Live to update the community on the impact that rising COVID cases are having on Findlay, Hancock County and the region.

Serving as hosts of the event were BVHS President and CEO Myron Lewis, William Kose, MD, vice president of special projects and Renee Smith, MD, chief medical officer.

Dr. Smith said in 2020, from March through December, the hospital had 167 COVID patients admitted and 88 died.

Through November of this year she says 152 COVID patients have been admitted and 111 have died.

She said the average age of their COVID patients went down from 70 last year to around 61 this year.

Dr. Smith said 75 to 80 percent of the COVID patients they are seeing hospitalized are unvaccinated.

“So we are seeing that the vaccine is helping to keep people out of the hospital, and we are strongly encouraging our patients and our community members to get the vaccine,” Dr. Smith said.

Dr. Smith said around 50 COVID patients were being treated at Blanchard Valley Hospital as of Wednesday.

You can watch the entire Facebook Live below.