ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond County Health Department on Tuesday announced another COVID-related death, bringing the overall total up to 70.
The press release doesn’t directly say where or when the individual died, just that the death occurred within the past 24 hours.
It appears the individual died at a healthcare facility other than a hospital, as the number of deaths at that type of location now stands at 17.
Forty-nine county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus have died in a hospital and four have passed away outside of a health setting, according to the Health Department.
The race and gender breakdown is as follows: 13 African American females, 12 African American males, one “other race” female, one “other race,” male, one Hispanic female, two American Indian males, 22 Caucasian females and 18 Caucasian males.
All patients have been between the ages of 31 and 95: 21 have been 80 or older; 21 have been in their 70s; 19 in their 60s; eight in their 50s; and one who was 31.
It appears the latest death was that of an African American man in his 60s.
The most recent death makes the third reported this week — the Health Department reported two on Monday — and the 17th for the month of January. There were also 15 to pass away in October and 13 in December.
There have been 8,720 COVID-related deaths across the state, as of Jan. 25, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. Tuesday’s statistics have not yet been released as of this writing.
When compared to other counties with similar populations (43,000-48,000) Richmond ranks second, with Beaufort County coming in at a close third.
DHHS records (which may not be up to date with county records, as only 65 are recorded for Richmond) show the following death totals:
- Vance – 73
- Beaufort – 69 (including the mayor of Washington)
- McDowell – 49
- Stokes – 53
- Jackson – 22
According to Johns Hopkins University, there have been 421,890 COVID-related deaths in the U.S. and 2,144,594 globally.
The only other nations on JHU’s tracking website with more than 100,000 deaths are Brazil (217,664), India (153,587) and Mexico (150,273).
North Carolina, the ninth-most populous state, has the 14th highest number of deaths, according to JHU. Michigan, which has a population just less that of N.C., has had more than 15,000; and Georgia, which is slightly greater populated, has had more than 13,000.
