ROCKINGHAM — More than 50 new COVID-19 cases have been reported in Richmond County the past two days.
The Richmond County Health Department reported 26 new cases both Tuesday and Wednesday, for a total of 52.
Daily cases have slightly risen recently, as the previous 10 weeks had an average of 21 per day. The daily case average is more than the weekly numbers from June
“The highest age group since the beginning of the pandemic has been the 51-64 age group,” Interim Health Director Cheryl Speight told the RO in an email Wednesday. “However, in the past few weeks we are seeing more of the early adult age group typically in the 20s to early 50s.”
Statewide daily cases were at 4,963 Wednesday — after peaking at 6,892 on Aug. 8 and dropping to 2,985 on Aug. 10.
Local, state and federal health officials say the cause for the spike is the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the delta variant is nearly twice as contagious as previous variants and “seems to produce the same high amount of virus in both unvaccinated and fully vaccinated people.”
As a result, hospitalizations are also increasing.
On Wednesday, the Health Department reported that 20 residents were in the hospital with COVID-19, up from 16 on Aug. 4.
According to FirstHealth, 91 of its 406 patients (22.4%) are COVID-positive. Scotland Memorial Hospital has 33 COVID patients — the highest since Jan. 27, according to a health system spokesman.
Statewide hospitalizations had risen to 2,304 by Tuesday, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
Neighboring Scotland and Moore counties had the state’s highest daily rate of COVID-related hospitalizations from July 20-Aug. 2 at 43 and 41, respectively, per 100,000 residents. Fifteen counties, including Richmond, had no data available on the map released by DHHS.
State health officials said 547 people ages 20-49 admitted to the hospital due to COVID-19 from Aug. 3-9.
On Tuesday, FirstHealth suspended visitation at its emergency departments, allowing only one adult per pediatric patient.
Speight told the RO on Wednesday that the county had not yet received an updated report on the number of local breakthrough cases, which are COVID infections of those who have been fully vaccinated for at least two weeks.
“These numbers are updated about once per month and any given report for individual counties may take longer with higher numbers of positives,” Speight said.
She previously told the RO there had been 28 breakthrough cases between July 1 and July 23.
Nearly 16,000 Richmond County residents are fully vaccinated for 36% of the total population and 42% of the eligible population. The Pfizer vaccine is the only one currently with authority to be administered to those as young as 12.
Thirteen COVID-related deaths have been reported by the Health Department since June 28.
“We will not report any identifying information such as vaccination reports on deceased individuals at this time,” Speight told the RO when asked if any of those who died had been vaccinated.
A vaccine drive is scheduled for 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 15 at the Dobbins Heights Community Center.
Seafoodie will be on site handing out free plates on a first come, first serve basis until the food runs out, according to food truck owner Kendale Robinson, who added that attendees don’t have to get the vaccine to get a plate.
Vaccines are also 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.
The Johnson and Johnson vaccine has not been available since July 21.
