ROCKINGHAM — When the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services issued its latest County Alert System figures Thursday, Richmond was the only one of the state’s 100 counties designated as having critical spread of COVID-19.
The 14-day case rate per 100,000 (Richmond County has a population of around 45,000) was 283.3, with only a slight hospital impact, according to NCDHHS.
According to the Richmond County Health Department, there have been 200 new cases so far for the month of July, as of July 21, with cases in the third week (93) nearly tripling those of the first week (38).
NCDHHS on Friday reported a 66% increase in new cases this week from the one before.
The Health Department also reported 10 COVID-related hospitalizations on Wednesday and one related death on Thursday of an individual who had been in a hospital.
“(The) main reason for the spike in numbers here and across the nation is unvaccinated people and the highly contagious nature of the Delta virus,” Interim Health Director Cheryl Speigh said in an email Friday.
Speight also told the RO that there have been 28 breakthrough cases — when patients are diagnosed with the coronavirus after 14 days of being fully vaccinated since July 1.
Those cases are out of the 15,636 residents who have been vaccinated, “so we aren’t talking about a very large percentage,” Speight said.
As of Friday, 37% of county residents were fully vaccinated, short of the Health Department’s Goal of 66%. Comparatively, 46% of state residents are vaccinated.
The County Alert System is color-coded:
- Green: Low Community Spread
- Light Yellow: Moderate Community Spread
- Yellow: Significant Community Spread
- Orange: Substantial Community Spread
- Red: Critical Community Spread
NCDHHS reports that 12 counties — including Hoke, Cumberland and Sampson — have substantial spread; 41 counties — including Scotland, Robeson, Moore, Montgomery and Stanly — have significant spread; 41, including Anson, have moderate spread; and four, all in the mountains, have low spread.
“Unvaccinated North Carolinians are unnecessarily getting sick, being hospitalized and dying,” said NCDHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy K. Cohen.
While Cohen says “you need to wear a mask indoors at all times when you are in public spaces,” Gov. Roy Cooper’s mask mandate is set to expire next week.
Earlier this week, Cohen and Cooper introduced the updated StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit, which encourages K-8 schools to require masks for all students and staff while indoors and recommends masking for grades 9-12 of unvaccinated individuals.
All three vaccines with emergency use authorization in the U.S. are available in Richmond County. However, local health officials are trying to reserve the Pfizer vaccine for teenagers, as it is currently the only one authorized for use on those aged 12 and up. Moderna is now seeking the same approval.
Vaccines are available at the Health Department Monday-Thursday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and Fridays from 8-11 a.m.
There is no charge and no appointment necessary.
