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No COVID cases reported in Richmond County in a week as virus wanes

ROCKINGHAM — Reported cases of COVID-19 have dramatically decreased, with none reported locally within the past week.

According to records with the Richmond County Health Department, there have only been six cases reported in the month of April — between March 30 and April 6.

The county’s two-year tally now stands at 12,779. The very first positive case was reported on April 6, 2020 following two weeks of negative test results. Richmond was one of the last 10 counties to have a positive case as the virus began to spread across the state.

As of 4:24 p.m. Wednesday, Richmond County Schools on its COVID Tracker was reporting two new student cases at Hamlet Middle.

So far this school year, Richmond Senior High has recorded the most student cases at 302 — more than double the number of the Ninth Grade Academy, which has had the second-most at 150.

In total, there have been 1,383 student cases and 323 staff cases (including 25 in Central Services).

On March 15, the Health Department reported only two new cases, but said that the state was still entering a large number of backlogged cases from the spike in January.

The second week of that month saw, by far, the highest number of cases.

For the week ending Jan. 15, there were nearly 233,000 cases, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. Of those, more than 17,000 were reinfections.

Last week, NCDHHS reported 4,740 cases statewide, with a reinfection rate of 7.5%.

In the week prior to the state’s record number of cases, the nationwide breakthrough rate (from 26 jurisdictions) of those vaccinated with at least one series was 1,614.78 per 100,000. according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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The most recent COVID-related death was reported on March 8, bringing the county’s total to 190. The state’s count has long been behind the local number, with NCDHHS reporting only 185 on April 13.

Along with the drop in cases, hospitalizations have also decreased.

FirstHealth of the Carolinas announced April 9 that no patients at any of its hospitals were isolated with the coronavirus for the first time in two years.

“The pandemic isn’t over, but we wanted to take this moment to say thank you to the FirstHealth family for their tireless commitment to care for people,” a Facebook post reads.

On April 11, the Sandhills region hospital chain reported that two of its 355 patients were COVID positive.

According to the Health Department, 48% of the county’s population is vaccinated. Records from NCDHHS show that 21% of the population has had at least one booster.

 



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