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Last week, Troup County hit a terrible milestone that we’re not sure any of us thought was possible in March — 100 total COVID-19 deaths.

It’s a sad reality to know that 100 people who called our community home have now lost their life due to this terrible pandemic. And yes, before we get too far, we know there are doubters out there. Some will say every death is now COVID-19 related, which is untrue.

We publish obituaries every single day, and trust us when we tell you that we’ve published a lot more than 100 obituaries since the start of the pandemic, so people are dying of other causes as well.

We’ve written in this space a couple of times about how things are improving locally in regard to COVID-19. That’s still true.

Troup County is consistently seeing single digit cases reported each day, so we’re far from July when there were 40-plus cases a day at times.

But, there are still cases, and there are still people succumbing to the disease.

The youngest person to die in Troup County from COVID-19 was age 32, but most of the deaths are people 60 and over. However, it’s clear anyone can get this disease and spread it, regardless of age.

Eighty-three people over 60 have died, while 18 under 60 have passed away from COVID-19. Could some of those people have had another underlying causes? Yes, in fact we know 29 of them did. Others probably did as well, but are marked as “unknown” on the Georgia Department of Public Health database.

We wrote last week that the president’s diagnosis was a somber reminder that we’re still living in a world greatly impacted by COVID-19. Health experts worry about the upcoming winter months too.

In the South, we typically hate the cold, so many of you are probably getting your jackets, warm blankets, candles and fall decorations out, preparing for the next few months.

Unfortunately, due to the cold, most of us stay inside more in the winter, meaning the spread of COVID-19 is more likely to take place.

We all need to be vigilant as we work to stay healthy. Wear your mask, social distance and continue avoiding large crowds if you can.

Our total numbers should serve as a reminder of just how serious this disease is. More than 100 local people have now lost their life to COVID-19, and our thoughts and prayers remain with their families as they grapple through this rough year.