ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond County Health Department is reporting its first COVID-related death of 2021.
According to a press release issued Friday morning, the unnamed individual passed away on Jan. 6 in a local hospital.
The latest death makes 39 of the county’s 54 COVID-related deaths to occur at a hospital, according to the Health Department. Twelve have died in other types of healthcare facilities and three have died outside of a healthcare setting.
October had the most COVID-related deaths with 15, followed by 13 in December.
The race and gender breakdown is as follows: nine African American females, seven African American males, one “other race” female, one Hispanic female, two American Indian males, 19 Caucasian females and 15 Caucasian males.
All patients have been between the ages of 31 and 95: 17 have been 80 or older; 16 have been in their 70s; 15 in their 60s; five in their 50s; and one who was 31.
Judging by previous reports, the latest death was that of a Caucasian female in her 70s.
As of Jan. 8, there have been 7,328 COVID-related deaths in the state, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
When compared to other counties with similar populations (43,000-48,000) Richmond falls in the upper end of the middle.
DHHS records (which may not be up to date with county records) show the following death totals:
- Vance – 69
- Beaufort – 61 (including the mayor of Washington)
- McDowell – 39
- Stokes – 40
- Jackson – 18
Earlier this week, the Pilot of Southern Pines reported that Moore County COVID-related deaths have been underreported by the local health Department.
Johns Hopkins University reports (as of 11:40 a.m. Jan. 8) there have been 365,882 COVID-related deaths in the U.S. and 1,901,910 globally.
Local COVID information for Jan. 8 has not yet been released.
On Thursday, both Richmond County and North Carolina set new daily records, with 95 cases locally and more than 10,000 statewide.
