ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond County Health Department on Wednesday announced the county’s 46th COVID-related death.
According to a press release, the department was notified in the morning that the resident recently passed away at a local hospital.
So far there have been six in December, with the most recent reported Monday, two on Dec. 9, one on Dec. 4 and one on Dec. 3. Six deaths were reported in November and 15 in October.
The county’s first death attributed to the coronavirus was announced on April 10.
According to the Health Department, 35 have passed away in a hospital, eight have died in another healthcare setting and three have died outside of a health setting.
All patients have been between the ages of 31 and 95: 17 have been 80 or older; 11 have been in their 70s; 13 in their 60s; four in their 50s; and one who was 31.
The race and gender breakdown is as follows: seven African American females, six African American males, two American Indian males, 17 Caucasian females and 14 Caucasian males.
It is not known if any of the patients had underlying conditions.
As of Dec. 14, there have been 5,881 COVID-related deaths in the state, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
The death totals for surrounding counties, according to recent state statistics, are: 78 in Stanly; 75 in Moore; 57 in Chesterfield; 49 in Scotland; 44 in Montgomery; 34 in Hoke; 22 in Marlboro; and 18 in Anson.
Johns Hopkins University reports (as of 10 a.m. Dec. 14) there have been 303,948 COVID-related deaths in the U.S. — nearly 5,000 more in 48 hours — and 1,639,061 globally.
Statewide COVID hospitalizations have steadily risen since November, with more than 2,700 North Carolinians being treated as of Dec. 15, according to DHHS.
As of Friday, Dec. 11, the Health Department has reported 455 new cases for the month and 2,305 since the first case was announced in April. Richmond was one of the last 10 counties to report its first case.
Wednesday’s local data and state has not yet been released.
