ROCKINGHAM — Richmond County has seen 127 new COVID cases and one COVID-related death in the past two days.
The Richmond County Health Department reported 71 new cases on Wednesday and 56 on Thursday, bringing the pandemic total to 11,828. More than 1/4 of the county’s cases since April of 2020 were in January of 2022.
The rate of positive cases is down to 25%, after remaining at 35% throughout the second half of January. The state’s rate is down to 22.2%, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
Richmond County Schools has reported only 17 new student cases and five staff cases in the past two days. The detailed numbers for Thursday weren’t available at the time of this writing since the district’s COVID tracker was reset prior to 5:30 p.m.
Richmond Senior tops both the student and staff case lists with 281 and 37, respectively, since the school year began in August.
Statewide cases have doubled since Monday, hitting 14,966 on Thursday, according to NCDHHS. That total is still lower than most of the days in January, when all but 11 days had more than 20,000 cases.
The Health Department also reported another COVID-related death on Wednesday, bringing the pandemic total to 179. That makes the first of February and the 20th of the year.
COVID-related hospitalizations in the state continue to decrease with 4,556 listed on Wednesday, according to NCDHHS. That’s the first time the number has been below 4,600 since Jan. 6. The record high was set at 5,206 on Jan. 26.
As of Wednesday’s report from the Health Department, there were 23 Richmond County residents hospitalized with COVID.
FirstHealth reported on Thursday that 105 of its 436 patients (22.1%) were COVID-positive. Scotland Memorial Hospital had 29 patients isolated on Wednesday. (No update was available Thursday.)
Health Director Cheryl Speight said the Health Department has recieved a shipment of N95 masks which are now available to the public.
“We have given to area businesses, agencies… that have requested them,” Speight said in an email Wednesday morning. “We are now providing individuals that request them a pack of 2 masks. These are available at the Health Department registration window.
Speight added that the Department of Social Services also received a shipment of masks and are distributing them to local seniors through the food box deliveries.
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, 21,051 Richmond County residents (47%) are considered fully vaccinated and 8,510 have received booster shots.
