ROCKINGHAM — Local health officials announced on Monday morning the 12th death attributed to COVID-19.
Health and Human Services Director Dr. Tommy Jarrell said in a press release that the Health Department was notified early Monday that the patient died Sunday, Aug. 30 in a congregate facility in Richmond County.
“Please join us with your thoughts and prayers for this family today during this
time of their loss,” Jarrell said in a press release.
This is the fourth COVID-related death during the month of August. Two deaths were reported last week and another was reported Aug. 3.
According to Jarrell, the 11 individuals whose deaths have been attributed to COVID-19 are between the ages of 31 and 95.
No other statistics have been made available.
The county’s first death attributed to COVID-19 was reported on April 10; the second was on April 17; the third on May 30; the fourth on June 8; the fifth on June 11; the sixth on June 29; the seventh on June 30; and the eighth on July 21.
The most recent death is the first reported at a congregate living facility. All other patients have died in a hospital setting, Jarrell confirmed.
According to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, there have been three outbreaks at facilities in Richmond County. An outbreak is defined as two more cases.
Pruitt-Health Rockingham has had three staff members contract the coronavirus and Richmond Pines Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center had five staff members to test positive, according to the report. Neither facility had any COVID-positive patients.
DHHS also lists an outbreak at a residential living facility, but does not name it in a report last updated on Aug. 28.
Statewide, there have been 2,702 deaths attributed to the coronavirus, according to DHHS. John Hopkins University lists 183,203 deaths across the U.S.
The county does not yet release if there were any underlying health conditions.
However, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a report on Aug. 26 stating that only 6% of the reported deaths have COVID-19 listed as the only cause.
“For deaths with conditions or causes in addition to COVID-19, on average, there were 2.6 additional conditions or causes per death,” the report reads.
More than 68,000 had influenza or pneumonia listed as a contributing factor and nearly 55,000 listed respiratory failure. Nearly 78,000 were listed as all other conditions or causes.
The county has not yet released COVID statistics for Monday, but on Saturday reported 10 additional cases. In all, there were 61 cases reported last week.
The county’s cumulative number of cases since the first was reported in April is now at 681. Richmond was one of the last 10 counties in the state to have a resident test positive.
As of Saturday, 114 cases were active, with 108 under home isolation and six in a hospital.
