ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond County Health Department on Monday reported the year’s first COVID-related death and more than 230 new cases of the coronavirus.
The latest death brings the county’s pandemic total to 160. The first was reported in April of 2020.
It is not currently known if the individual died on Dec. 31 or after 2022 started.
There were eight COVID-related deaths reported during the month of December 2021, compared to a dozen in December 2020.
According to the Health Department, the updated race and gender breakdown is as follows: 24 African American females, 27 African American males, three “other race” females, one “other race” male, two Hispanic females, three Hispanic males, two American Indian males, 50 Caucasian females and 48 Caucasian males.
Those who have died range in age: 38 have been 80 or older; 40 have been in their 70s; 43 in their 60s; 25 in their 50s; nine in their 40s; and five in their 20s or 30s.
North Carolina has recorded a total of 19,457 COVID-related deaths — an increase of 149 from Dec. 28 — according to the state Department of Health and Human Services.
Of the county’s deaths, 128 have been at a hospital, 25 have passed away in another healthcare facility and seven have died outside of a health setting.
Based on previous reports, the latest death appears to be that of a Caucasian woman in her 40s who was in a hospital.
COVID-related hospitalizations have been rising sharply over the past week, with 1,738 on Dec. 25 to 2,722 on Sunday, according to NCDHHS. Although those statistics are rising, hospitalizations remained more than 2,700 from mid-August to early October.
FirstHealth reported on Monday that 69 of its 404 patients (17.1%) were COVID-positive. That’s up from 11.8% on Dec. 28. Scotland Memorial Hospital reported Jan. 2 that 23 of its patients were isolated.
The Health Department reported 13 residents were hospitalized on Dec. 29.
In addition to a rise in hospitalizations, there has been a recent spike in new cases, with the state setting new record highs.
NCDHHS reported Dec. 30 that new positive COVID cases had surpassed the previous record set in January.
The two days following, the state COVID Dashboard showed two more record highs: 19,174 on Dec. 31 and 19,620 on Jan. 1. By Monday, new cases dipped just below 13,000 (12,989) — still more than four times the amount on Dec. 21.
Locally, the Health Department reported 232 new cases on Monday, which covered Dec. 31-Jan.2., averaging out to around 77 per day. With a combined 100 cases the prior two days, the current five-day average is 66.4 per day.
Scotland Health Care System announced a change to its visitation policy with the graphic below:
Vaccinations have been authorized for children as young as 5 and booster shots are now available for all vaccinated adults.
COVID vaccinations and boosters are available at the Health Department from 8 a.m. -5 p.m. Monday-Thursday 8-5, and 8-11 a.m. on Fridays with no appointment needed.
