(KAIR)--Since the time of Tuesday’s Atchison County Commission meeting, where 2nd District Commissioner Eric Noll urged residents to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, citing rising county numbers, another increase in confirmed virus cases is reported.

During the meeting, Noll cited Atchison County’s 56 active cases within the ten days ending Tuesday.
On Wednesday, the Atchison County office of Northeast Kansas Multi-County Health updated those figures, saying that as of that date, July 21, 12 new cases were reported in Atchison County, bringing the confirmed number of active cases to 68.

According to statistics released this week by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, of the 18 total coronavirus variants confirmed in Atchison County cases, nine have been that of the faster-spreading delta variant, the blame, health officials say, for the rise in cases noted nationwide.

Atchison County has had, since the beginning of the pandemic, 1,596 confirmed coronavirus cases. 14 have died.

As officials, such as Noll, continue the push for vaccination, such calls continue to be met with obstinance, as well as questions, including why some who have been vaccinated still contract the virus.

According to a report from the Associated Press, a small number of COVID-19 “breakthrough” cases, as it’s called when a vaccinated person gets infected with the coronavirus, are expected after vaccination, and health officials say they’re not a cause for alarm.

Studies show the vaccines are very good at virus protection, but it’s still possible to get infected with mild or no symptoms, or even to get sick.

If you do end up getting sick despite vaccination, experts say the shots should help reduce the severity of the illness.

Nearly all U.S. hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 are now in people who weren’t vaccinated.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.