ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond County Health Department on Thursday reported two COVID-related deaths and 41 new positive cases of the coronavirus.
The first death was reported early Thursday morning, the second was announced around 6 p.m.
According to a press release, the most recent death occurred “in late December” at a local hospital, bringing the overall total to 52.
Of those who have passed away after contracting the coronavirus, 38 were in a hospital, 11 were in a healthcare facility and three were outside of a health setting.
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, 18 Caucasian females and 14 Caucasian males.
All patients have been between the ages of 31 and 95: 17 have been 80 or older; 14 have been in their 70s; 15 in their 60s; five in their 50s; and one who was 31.
So far there have been 12 COVID-related deaths in December. Six deaths were reported in November and 15 in October. The 50th was reported on Wednesday. The county’s first death attributed to the coronavirus was announced on April 10.
The new cases bring December’s total to 806 — more than the previous two months combined. There were 403 positive cases in November and 401 in October.
Despite the latest numbers, the active case count continues to drop as more residents recover. The number of active cases on Thursday was 236, down from 284 the previous day, and records show a total of 2,369 recoveries from 2,656 total cases. The Health Department reports that 22,540 tests have returned a negative result.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services COVID Dashboard shows 6,715 cases for Thursday, though a glitch in the reporting system earlier in the week may still be skewing results.
The number of COVID-related hospitalizations also rose to a new high of 3,472. That number has set almost daily records since mid-November. FirstHealth reports that 87 of its 367 patients (23.7%) are COVID-positive.
The Health Department announced Tuesday that free COVID-19 testing would continue throughout the month January — except for New Year’s Day — in the parking lot behind the building.
Testing will run from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, except when closed for lunch from noon-12:30 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
BY THE NUMBERS
The number of local cases per age group are as follows (includes recoveries):
- 0-18 – 398 (+10)
- 19-30 – 426 (+6)
- 31-40 – 365 (+5)
- 41-50 – 466 (+8)
- 51-64 – 539 (+7)
- 65-older – 462 (+5)
(+ Denotes increase from previous report)
The total number of cases per ZIP code are as follows:
- Rockingham – 1,441 (129 active)
- Hamlet – 770 (74 active)
- Ellerbe – 230 (24 active)
- Hoffman – 175 (6 active)
- Mount Gilead – 13 (0 active)
- Marston – 26 (3 active)
- Jackson Springs – 1 (0 active)
The total numbers (including recoveries) for surrounding counties are as follows:
- Mecklenburg – 62,454 (other counties to top 10,000 are Wake, Guilford, Forsyth, Durham, Alamance, Cumberland, Gaston, Pitt, Johnston, Cabarrus, Catawba, and Union)
- Union – 12,505
- Stanly – 4,331
- Montgomery – 1,920
- Anson – 1,407
- Moore – 4,871 (558 active)
- Hoke – 2,758
- Scotland – 2,522
- Robeson – 9,840 (more than higher-populated counties New Hanover and Buncombe)
All numbers are from DHHS except Moore, which are from the local health department, as there has been a discrepancy with the state.
Tyrrell County, the smallest by population, remains the only one of the state’s 100 counties to have fewer than 200 cases with 169.
