ROCKINGHAM — For the first time in two days, the Richmond County Health Department reported more than 100 new cases of COVID-19.
According to the daily report issued Thursday afternoon, 106 residents have recently tested positive, bringing the pandemic total to 11,390.
The positivity rate remains 35%, while the state’s rate dropped to 30.1%, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
According to data from the Health Department, there have been 3,322 positive test results since the Dec. 30 report.
Richmond County Schools reported 20 new student cases on its COVID tracker on Thursday. The tracker had been reset before 5:30 p.m., so individual school numbers were not available.
Statewide cases increased to 28,753, according to NCDHHS.
The Health Department also reported another COVID-related death, bringing the pandemic total to 173. That makes the fifth death reported this week.
No statistics are available since the Health Department stopped sending press releases on deaths earlier this month.
Richmond County has seen 14 COVID-related deaths this month. As a comparison, there were 23 reported each in January and August of 2021.
North Carolina’s COVID-related death total is now at 20,517 — an increase of 324 since Monday — according to NCDHHS.
Statewide COVID hospitalizations continue to rise, hitting another record high on Wednesday of 5,158. Hospitalizations have more than doubled within the past month.
On Thursday, the Health Department reported that 21 county residents were hospitalized with the coronavirus.
Regional hospital system FirstHealth reported Wednesday that 120 of its 419 patients (28.6%) were COVID-positive and Scotland Memorial Hospital had 39 COVID patients isolated.
The federal government recently started taking orders for at-home kits at covidtests.gov. Each family is eligible for four free kits.
Free drive-thru COVID testing is available Monday-Friday behind the Health Department from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. and the parking lot of Cole Auditorium in Hamlet from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., as well as from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturdays at both locations.
Vaccines and boosters are available for those who want them at the Health Department from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8-11 a.m. on Fridays.
Vaccines have been authorized for adults and children as young as 5 years old.
According to NCDHHS, 20,954 Richmond County residents (47%) are considered fully vaccinated and 8,358 have received booster shots.
