ROCKINGHAM — Richmond County started September by hitting a milestone of 700 total cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, the Health Department reported.
There have been 19 new cases reported so far this week — nine on Monday and 10 on Tuesday — along with the 12th COVID-related death.
As of Tuesday, there were 129 active cases, with 126 under home isolation and the other three hospitalized.
The number of active cases is the second-highest since the pandemic began. The record was set on July 27 with 138.
The Health Department reports that 558 patients have recovered and 7,233 of those tested have been negative for the coronavirus.
Compared to other counties with a population between 43,000 and 48,000, Richmond falls around the middle.
Vance and McDowell counties have had 915 and 804 cases, respectively. The other three counties in the same population group have lower totals: Beaufort (593); Jackson (492); and Stokes (335).
Neighboring Montgomery County, which only has a population of 27,271, has nearly 200 more cases than Richmond. Scotland County, with around 10,000 fewer people, is less than 30 cases behind. (See below for numbers from surrounding counties.)
Gov. Roy Cooper on Tuesday announced that he was easing restrictions on some businesses, like gyms, while keeping bars and amusement parks closed.
“Safer at Home Phase 2.5 continues our state’s dimmer switch approach to easing some restrictions,” said Cooper. “We can do this safely only if we keep doing what we know works — wearing masks and social distancing. In fact, a new phase is exactly when we need to take this virus even more seriously.”
Also during the press conference, Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen noted that several metrics the state is tracking have either declined or are remaining stable.
“As we take modest steps forward today, it’s important to remember that moving forward doesn’t mean letting up on slowing the spread of the virus,” she said. “Our progress is fragile and we need to maintain focus on the 3Ws especially as we head into flu season.”
The number of new statewide cases on Tuesday was listed as 2,111—the highest per diem amount since July 30 — bringing the state’s total to 169,424, according to DHHS.
FirstHealth of the Carolinas reports that of the 27,577 individuals tested at its facilities, only 3,120 have been positive. There have been 23,846 negative results and 316 results are still pending. Of the system’s 374 patients, 36 have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
According to DHHS, 946 North Carolinans are currently hospitalized with the coronavirus.
The state estimates that 145,884 patients have recovered and reports 2,741 deaths have been COVID related.
BY THE NUMBERS
The number of local cases per age group are as follows:
- 0-18 – 94
- 19-30 – 113
- 31-40 – 100
- 41-50 – 132
- 50-64 – 153
- 65-older – 108
The number of cases per ZIP code are as follows:
- Rockingham – 406 (320 recovered)
- Hamlet – 182 (148 recovered)
- Ellerbe – 73 (58 recovered)
- Hoffman – 27 (25 recovered)
- Mount Gilead – 10 (7 recovered)
- Marston – 2 (1 recovered)
DHHS reports that more than 40 of the state’s 100 counties that have now experienced more than 1,000 total cases: Alamance, Brunswick, Burke, Buncombe, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Franklin, Chatham, Cleveland, Columbus, Cumberland, Davidson, Duplin, Durham, Forsyth, Gaston, Granville, Guilford, Harnett, Henderson, Iredell, Johnston, Lee, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Moore, Nash, New Hanover, Onlsow, Orange, Pitt, Randolph, Rowan, Robeson, Sampson, Stanly, Surry, Union, Wake, Wayne, Wilkes and Wilson.
Craven, Edgecombe, Halifax, Hoke, Lenoir, Montgomery, Rockingham, Rutherford and Vance counties have had more than 800 cases.
Graham County remains as having the state’s fewest number of cases with 58, followed by Madison with 70. Camden, Clay, Gates, Hyde, Mitchell and Yancey are the only other counties with fewer than 100 cases.
The total numbers (including recoveries) for surrounding counties are as follows:
- Mecklenburg -25,558 (the only other county to top 10,000 is Wake with 15,203)
- Union – 3,991
- Stanly – 1,528
- Montgomery – 893
- Anson – 445
- Moore – 1,327 (160 active)
- Hoke – 880
- Scotland – 672
- Robeson – 3,607
All numbers are from DHHS except Moore, which are from the local health department, as there has been a discrepancy with the state.
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control is reporting 1,006 cases in Chesterfield County and 726 in Marlboro County.
