ROCKINGHAM — Seventeen more Richmond County residents have recovered from the coronavirus since the weekend, with several new cases being reported.
Wednesday’s update from the Richmond County Health Department shows that the number of recoveries is now up to 161.
That number increased from 144 to 154 on Tuesday to the new total on Wednesday.
Four new cases reported on Wednesday and only two on Tuesday, bringing the county’s total to 221 since the first case was reported April 7.
While the county listed the number of active cases at 51, the graphic showed 53 patients under home isolation and two hospitalized.
Health and Human Services Director Dr. Tommy Jarrell could not be reached for clarification.
On Tuesday, the Health Department reported that a total of 1,931 tests had been performed, 199 since June 9. Of those, 1,686 had returned with negative results.
More than 85,000 North Carolinans have been tested since June 12, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
The total number of lab-confirmed cases for the state, since testing began, was 46,855, with 1,002 reported on Wednesday. That was a slight increase after several days of falling totals.
Earlier this week, Gov. Roy Cooper said the state was considering making mandatory the wearing of face masks in public.
Multiple media outlets reported on Wednesday that Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin issued a proclamation requiring wearing masks in the state capital starting Friday.
“All persons who are present within the jurisdiction of the City of Raleigh are required to wear a clean face covering any time they are, or will be, in contact with other people who are not household members in public or private spaces where it is not possible to maintain social distance or where recommended social distancing practices are not being followed,” Section 1 of the proclamation reads. “These spaces include grocery stores, pharmacies, business locations, parking lots, sidewalks, and public transit. While wearing the face covering, it is essential to still maintain social distance insofar as possible since social distancing is the best defense against the spread of the COVID-19.”
Exemptions include:
- those whose religious beliefs prevent them from wearing a face covering.
- those who cannot wear a face covering due to a medical or behavioral condition.
- children under 12 years old.
- restaurant patrons while they are dining.
- while In private, individual offices.
- when complying with directions of law enforcement officers.
- in settings where it is not practical or feasible to wear a face covering, including when obtaining or rendering goods or services, such as the receipt of dental services or while swimming.
BY THE NUMBERS
The number of cases per age group are as follows:
- 0-18 – 23
- 19-30 – 38
- 31-40 – 28
- 41-50 – 41
- 50-64 – 59
- 65-older – 32
The number of cases per ZIP code are as follows:
- Rockingham – 135 (103 recovered)
- Hamlet – 61 (48 recovered)
- Ellerbe – 14 (6 recovered)
- Hoffman – 10 (3 recovered)
- Mount Gilead – 1 – recovered
The total numbers (including recoveries) for surrounding counties are as follows:
- Union – 764
- Anson – 91
- Stanly – 174
- Montgomery – 218
- Moore – 350
- Hoke – 308
- Scotland – 114
All numbers except Moore are from DHHS, which is from the local health department, as there is a discrepancy with the state. DHHS shows 30 fewer than the county.
The state finally added Robeson County to the list of those with more than 1,000 cases. However, the state’s count of 1,019 is more than 100 off from the county’s listing of 1,134.
Other counties with more than 1,000 cases are Mecklenburg, Wake, Durham, Forsyth, Guilford, Wayne and Duplin. Mecklenburg, the state’s most populated county, tops the list with 7,563.
Cumberland, Randolph, Rowan and Johnston counties all have more than 900 cases each.
Hyde, the state’s second-least populated county, has only 3 confirmed cases, the fewest in the state.
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control last updated its numbers on June 16, reporting 295 cases in Chesterfield County and 241 in Marlboro County.
