The number of deaths related to COVID-19 appears to be surging in Warren County.

Although the Pennsylvania Department of Health announced a total of six COVID-related deaths in its Wednesday update, Warren County Coroner Melissa Zydonik told the Times Observer the total is much higher.

“Right now, my records show that we have 21 … for the month of December,” Zydonik said Wednesday.

When a document comes to the coroner’s office, it indicates one or more causes of death.

“The majority of what I have, the primary cause of death is listed as COVID,” Zydonik said.

For all of the others, COVID is listed among the causes, but not as the primary cause. “It’s a COVID-related death,” she said.

All of those 21 deaths were of people who had had positive COVID tests, she said.