ROCKINGHAM — The number of coronavirus cases in Richmond County has risen to 38, two more since the weekend update from the Richmond County Health Department.
Health and Human Services Director Dr. Tommy Jarrell says that 10 patients have so far recovered from the COVID-19 infection, 24 are under home isolation, and two are currently hospitalized. Two deaths are also being attributed to the coronavirus.
According to the Health Department, two of the county’s 38 lab-confirmed cases are children under the age of 18, including a 9-year-old. There are three cases with patients aged 19-30, five cases each of those aged 31-40 and 41-50, 13 cases of those aged 51-60, and 10 cases of those 61 or older.
A map included in Monday’s update shows that 24 of the patients are from the Rockingham area, 11 have a Hamlet address, two live in or near Ellerbe and one is from Hoffman.
Jarrell said 497 county residents have been tested and 446 results have been negative.
Four patients have been connected to an outbreak at a nursing home facility in Pinehurst.
According to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, there have been 1,326 cases related to outbreaks at 47 nursing homes in 29 counties; 261 cases in 19 outbreaks at residential care facilities; and 843 cases in 13 state prisons.
The names of the nursing homes are expected to be released after a request from a coalition of news agencies, including the Pilot of Southern Pines, according to the News & Observer.
DHHS reports 9,142 confirmed cases in 95 counties. The rate of positive results of those tested is less than 9 percent.
The state still has yet to reflect the same number of cases for Moore County as announced by the Health Department there. DHHS reports only 68, whereas county officials said last Monday there were 95, including six related deaths.
Hyde County remains the only one on the coast without any recorded cases. The remaining four are in the mountains: Graham, Swain, Avery and Yancey.
The case counts for surrounding counties, according to health officials in North and South Carolina are:
The Richmond County testing site has been moved from the old Sandhills Regional Hospital to the outpatient parking lot of FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital-Richmond in Rockingham. There is also a site in West End.
Those wishing to be tested should be referred by their primary healthcare provider, Health Department, or by calling the COVID-19 hotline at 910-417-4947.
While health officials continue to encourage residents to stay home as much as possible and use social distancing, there is still no curfew in Richmond County and no documentation is needed to travel on local roads.
Jarrell announced a COVID-19 dashboard has been set up and will be available on the county government and health department’s Facebook pages and only special updates will warrant a press release.
