A record number of COVID patients checked into Goshen Hospital last month.

COVID cases are surging again across Michiana, the state and the entire country. Goshen Hospital says it recorded 25 COVID-19 deaths in December, which is the highest number of any month of the pandemic so far.

In a statement Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dan Nafziger said the hospital is “heartbroken” for the families dealing with loss, and says the numbers are expected to stay high through January due to infections caused by holiday gatherings, low vaccination rates, and low mask usage.

Roughly 41% of people in Elkhart County are fully vaccinated headed into the new year.