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Pike County has reported its first confirmed death from COVID-19.

The individual passed away on Monday, June 1, at Troy Regional Medical Center. No further details about the patient have been released by the hospital.

“I am devastated to learn that we have lost a member of our community to this virus,” said Troy Mayor Jason Reeves. “My prayers are with the family as they face the loss of a loved one.”

In a public statement on Friday, the hospital and the Pike County Emergency Management Association said the following:

“The community can be assured Troy Regional Medical Center remains committed to the safety of our patients, staff, physicians and community based on guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Alabama Department of Public Health. This includes screening criteria for patients based on current CDC guidelines.

“Both TRMC and the Pike County EMA urge all residents to remain vigilant in their efforts to prevent the spread of the virus by following the guidelines from the Center for Disease Control and the Alabama Department of Public Health.

“Anyone with questions concerning COVID-19 may contact the TRMC Hotline at 334-670-5409 or the Pike County Emergency Management Office at 334-566-8272.

As of 11 a.m. Friday, the Alabama Department of Public Health reported 223 cases of COVID-19 in Pike County and 19,073 in the state, with 672 statewide deaths. Only nine counties have not reported a COVID-19 death.

In Pike County, 96 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the past 14 days, including 32 in the past week. . Pike County is among the top 20 counties in the state for per capita cases and new cases confirmed within the past week.

Dr. Eric Law, of Southern Health Associates in Troy, warned last week that “almost every measure we track right now is going in the wrong direction.”

Statewide, Alabama added more than 5,480 cases in the past 14 days, almost 30 percent of the total cases in the state.

And, state health officials said this week that a large volume of testing results has caused delays and changes in the reporting process. Previously, the Alabama Department of Public Health updated its dashboard in real-time throughout the day. Now, it is being updated just once at a day 10 a.m.

Reeves said these indicators should serve as a reminder of the dangers posed by COVID-19 and the need for people to continue to protect themselves.

“Covid-19 is not over.,” he said. “This is a very real illness that is taking the lives of husbands, wives, mothers, fathers and grandparents. I hope that the people of Troy realize that it is so important to practice social distancing, frequently wash your hands and to wear a mask when in public. These are precautions that you should take to protect yourself, your family and our entire community.”