With two additional deaths added to Larimer County's cumulative tally, the county has now recorded 173 deaths since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CDC believes that the new variant strain could be more contagious than previous strains of the novel coronavirus, but does not lead to more severe symptoms.
Among the newly recorded deaths, the oldest was a 98-year-old Fort Collins man and the youngest was a 60-year-old Loveland man. 4 of the deaths were Loveland residents.
The latest reports from the Larimer County Department of Health show that there have now been 158 COVID-19 related deaths in the county since the beginning of the pandemic.
The deaths accounted for in December make up 46% of all COVID-19 related deaths in Larimer County and equate to more than three times the 22 deaths reported in November, the county's second deadliest month of the pandemic.
In light of the progress the state is making with fighting COVID-19, the governor has requested that CDPHE move all counties in Red on the dial to Orange-level restrictions, effective Monday, Jan. 4.
According to data from the Larimer County Department of Health's website, although more than half of those who died were 85 years of age or older, 3 of the deaths reported since Sunday have been Fort Collins women under 60 — a 58-year-old, a 47-year-old and a 30-year-old.
The Larimer County Department of Health has reported 16 COVID-19 related deaths in the last week; The county has now surpassed 50 deaths in December alone, totaling at 51 for the month and 132 since the beginning of the pandemic.