ROCKINGHAM — Two more Richmond County residents have succumbed to complications from COVID-19.
The Richmond County Health Department announced one COVID-related death on Saturday and another on Monday.
This brings the county’s total number of COVID-related deaths to 84 since the first was reported in April 2020. There have been 31 so far this year— eight this month and 23 in January. There were also 15 in October and 13 in December of 2020.
It appears both residents died in a hospital, which makes 58 to pass away in that setting. Twenty-two of the deaths have occurred in another health care facility and four have happened outside of a health setting, according to the Health Department.
The race and gender breakdown is as follows: 15 African American females, 12 African American males, two “other race” females, one “other race,” male, two Hispanic females, two American Indian males, 25 Caucasian females and 25 Caucasian males.
All patients have been between the ages of 31 and 95: 23 have been 80 or older; 25 have been in their 70s; 25 in their 60s; 10 in their 50s; and one who was 31.
Judging from previous reports, it appears one of the deaths was that of a Hispanic female and the other of a Caucasian male. One 80 years old or older, the other in their 70s.
There have been 10,501 COVID-related deaths in North Carolina, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. The state topped the 10,000 mark on Feb. 9.
When compared to the other five counties with similar populations (43,000-48,000) Richmond now ranks the highest.
Records with the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services (which may not be up to date with county records, as only 83 are recorded for Richmond) show the following death totals:
- Vance – 78
- Beaufort – 79 (including the mayor of Washington)
- McDowell – 55
- Stokes – 62
- Jackson – 47
According to Johns Hopkins University, as of 1 p.m. Feb. 15, the U.S. leads the world’s nations in COVID-related deaths with 485,465 — nearly 10,000 since late Friday morning. The U.S. has had more than twice the number of deaths in Brazil, which is second with 239,245 There have been 2,403,462 worldwide.
