RICHMOND – Ray County deaths rose, but overall cases of COVID-19 declined, based on the latest information released by the Ray County Health Department. The department reported 45 people have died from the virus and 40 people have active cases since the start in 2020. Based on the Sept. 16 report, the virus had claimed 42 lives. The department’s Sept. 30 report added another three lives to the toll. The latest report puts the number of active cases at 40, down 65, or 62%, from 105 on Sept. 16. The number of fully vaccinated Ray Countians stands at 38%, up half a percent from 37.5 in mid-September.