Nine Oneida County residents died from COVID-19 Wednesday, which is the highest single-day number of deaths reported since the start of the pandemic.

According to county statistics, four of the deaths were nursing home-related.

Since March, the county has reported 312 COVID-related deaths. Of those deaths, 254 were 65 or older, 34 were 45-64 years old, five were 18 - 44 years old and one 4-year-old boy.

At least one person with COVID-19 has died every day since Nov. 24, 2020, and Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente says these somber numbers are an indication of how badly the region needs more vaccines.

“Today we are reporting the most daily deaths from COVID-19 that we have ever had,” said Picente. “It is deeply troubling that nine more of our families have to suffer such tragic loss at the hands of this pandemic. Our thoughts and prayers are with them as we continue to fight COVID-19 on all fronts. This deadly reminder is further evidence of how desperately needed the vaccine is. Oneida County needs more. The lives of our people depend on it.”

According to the data, there were 176 new positive tests from Wednesday, and eight of them were nursing home residents.

There are currently 7,165 active cases in the county, with 134 hospitalized locally and 16 in hospitals outside of the area. Of the local hospitalizations, 24 people are from nursing homes.

More than 8,000 people are in quarantine or isolation from testing positive or being exposed to the virus.

More than 7,000 people have been diagnosed and recovered from COVID-19 since March.