Deadly December: 100 people lost their lives in Northwest Georgia — a record 82 listed as COVID cases, another 18 as ‘probable’ deaths involving the virus.

The tenth month of the COVID pandemic in Northwest Georgia was the deadliest as well.

A record 82 people died of coronavirus between Dec. 1 and 31, including 32 in Floyd County, 20 in Bartow, 6 in Gordon, 11 in Polk and 13 in Chattooga. For comparison, 77 people died in the first 3.5 months of the pandemic here — from the first fatality on March 15 in Floyd county through June 30.

Another 18 deaths were listed as “probable,” meaning COVID likely was a factor. Together, that’s 100 deaths in our five counties in 31 days.

The prior record was 54 in October. How it breaks down:

• December: A record 82 deaths in Northwest Georgia Also: 18 probable deaths for the month. Overall change: 100 deaths.
• November: 37. This also was the month when the state broke out “probable deaths” as a separate number. There were at least 11 probable deaths in our five-county area. The first report, on Nov. 3, began with 9 probable deaths in Northwest Georgia. We ended the month with 20 in all.
• October: 54.
• September: 53.
• August: 51.
• July: 24.
• March 15-June 30: 77.

The number of positive test results in December also set records. Over 31 days, 4,836 people tested positive, mostly in Bartow and Floyd counties. That compares to these regional totals:

• December: 4,836 cases.
• November: 2,796 cases.
• October: 2,609 cases.
• September: 2,200 cases.
• August: 3,608 cases.
• July: 2,586 cases.
• March-July 2: 1,962 cases.

The number of COVID patients in Floyd Medical Center and Redmond Regional Medical Center also soared in December.

• There were 96 patients diagnosed with COVID at both hospitals on Nov. 30.
• By mid-December, it climbed to 118
• On Dec. 30, it peaked at 154 patients.
• On Jan. 2, the total had dropped to 146 patients.

Those numbers do not include patients awaiting test results.