ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond County Health Department is reporting six new cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed, bringing the county’s total to 57.
The total has increased by 10 within the past two days.
A map included with the update shows that 34 of the cases are in the Rockingham area and 20 are in or around Hamlet. The numbers for Ellerbe and Hoffman remain at two and one, respectively.
According to the Health Department, 20 patients are between the ages of 51 and 64; 12 are 65 or older; 10 are 41-50; eight are 31-40; five are 19-30; and two are 18 or younger.
So far, 14 patients have recovered from the coronavirus. Health and Human Services Director Dr. Tommy Jarrell told the RO on Friday that he expects to report more recoveries at the beginning of next week.
Thirty-seven of those who have tested positive are currently under home isolation, including employees of Perdue Farms and Burlington Industries.
Jarrell said people who are employed and test positive can be out of work for an average of 14 days.
There are four patients currently hospitalized and two have died.
Nearly 600 individuals have been tested since testing began March 14. Richmond County’s first case wasn’t reported until April 7.
That case was one of four in Richmond County tied to an outbreak at a nursing home in Pinehurst.
The statewide total has risen to 11,509, with 420 deaths and 502 are hospitalized.
Jarrell recently was the guest for the RO’s County Conversations program. You can watch the interview here.
