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Virus claims more young victims as deaths climb yet again

In this photo provided by Impact Church, people register for a COVID-19 vaccination at an event held by Impact Church, Aug. 8, 2021, in Jacksonville, Fla. The church has lost seven members to COVID-19 in the last few weeks, according to Pastor George Davis. (Impact Church via AP)
In this photo provided by Impact Church, people register for a COVID-19 vaccination at an event held by Impact Church, Aug. 8, 2021, in Jacksonville, Fla. The church has lost seven members to COVID-19 in the last few weeks, according to Pastor George Davis. (Impact Church via AP) In this photo provided by Impact Church, people register for a COVID-19 vaccination at an event held by Impact Church, Aug. 8, 2021, in Jacksonville, Fla. The church has lost seven members to COVID-19 in the last few weeks, according to Pastor George Davis. (Impact Church via AP)

By ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON, KELLI KENNEDY and STEFANIE DAZIO / Associated Press 6 min read

MIAMI (AP) – A young mother had just celebrated her first wedding anniversary and was one of six members of a Jacksonville church to die over a 10-day span.

Another Florida woman had just given birth to her first child, but was only able to hold the newborn girl for a few moments before dying.

A California man died a few weeks shy of his 53rd birthday while his wife was on a ventilator at the same hospital in Oakland, unaware of his passing on Aug. 4.

The COVID-19 death toll has started soaring again as the delta variant tears through the nation’s unvaccinated population and fills up hospitals with patients, many of whom are younger than during earlier phases of the pandemic.

The U.S. is now averaging about 650 deaths a day, increasing more than 80 percent from two weeks ago and going past the 600 mark on Saturday for the first time in three months.