ROCKINGHAM — Richmond County saw fewer new weekly COVID cases this past week than any other during the summer.
According to figures released Sept. 7, there were only 83 new cases for the week, down from 91 the previous week and 127 the week before that.
The only other time cases dropped below 90 in recent months was the week ending June 22, when there were 89.
The total number of local cases now stands at 14,993 since the first was reported in April of 2020.
Richmond County Schools’ COVID Tracker shows 77 cases so far this school year, with classes in session for two weeks.
Twenty-one of those cases involved staff members: seven at Monroe Avenue; four at East Rockingham; three each at L.J. Bell Elementary and Cordova Middle; two at Richmond Senior; and one each at Fairview Heights Elementary and the Ninth Grade Academy.
The district reports that 56 students have tested positive: 14 at Cordova Middle; 12 at Rockingham Middle; six at East Rockingham; five at Monroe Avenue; four each at Fairview Heights and Mineral Springs Elementary and Richmond Early College High School; three each at NGA and Richmond Sr.; and one at L.J. Bell.
Statewide, cases are more than half the number of those reported this time of year in 2021 — but nearly double what they were in 2020 — according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
When the Health Department released the numbers Wednesday, Richmond was still labeled as a high-risk county by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, the map on the NCDHHS COVID Dashboard on Friday shows the county is at medium risk, along with Anson, Moore, Lee, Robeson and Cumberland.
Scotland County has been moved to low risk and Montgomery, Stanly and Rowan and Cabarrus are among the 25 high-risk counties.
The Health Department last week reported another COVID-related death, bringing the total to 198. There were two reported between Aug. 17 and 24.
The Omicron BA.5 variant accounts for more than 80% of all cases in the state, according to those sequenced by NCDHHS.
The percentage of patients who have become reinfected seems to have leveled off at around 16%, according to NCDHHS. However, the vaccination status of those reinfected is not known.
State records show COVID-related hospitalizations are on a downward trend. As of Sept. 6, 25 of FirstHealth’s 393 patients (6.3%) were COVID positive.
Of the seven counties with a similar population, Richmond has had the third-lowest number of cases in the past two weeks. Usually Richmond is among the top, if not the highest.
According to NCDHHS, 24% of the county’s population has been fully vaccinated with at least one additional dose.
