ROCKINGHAM — North Carolina set yet another one-day record in the number of reported COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, topping 3,000 for the first time since the pandemic began.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reported 3,119 new cases of the coronavirus, bringing the state’s overall total to 300,561. As of Monday, 261,719 are presumed to have recovered.
“This is not the milestone we want to be hitting, particularly as we head into holidays where people want to come together,” Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of DHHS, said in a press release.
“I am asking North Carolinians to do what they do best, look out for each other,” Cohen continued. “Wear a mask. Wait six feet apart. Wash your hands often. We’ve had more time to learn about this devastating virus and study after study shows that these three simple actions can help keep our family, friends and neighbors from getting sick.”
State health officials recommend that those who have been recently diagnosed, have symptoms, or have been around someone who has tested positive to “not host or participate in any in-person gatherings until they complete their isolation or quarantine period.”
Residents are also discouraged from traveling for Thanksgiving and limiting gatherings to their own households to prevent spreading the virus.
On Tuesday, Gov. Roy Cooper decreased the state’s mass gathering limit back down to 10 from 25. Cooper has previously stated that he didn’t intend on taking the state backward with restrictions.
"This reduction in our indoor gathering limit aims to slow the spread and bring down our numbers," Cooper said in a statement. "It also sends a serious signal to families, friends and neighbors across our state. Success in slowing the spread will help our businesses."
According to the governor’s office, the new order doesn’t change the current capacity limits on restaurants, fitness centers, movie theaters, personal care businesses, nor does it apply to schools, religious gatherings or shopping.
In fact, it mainly pertains to indoor, in-house gatherings, not including household family members.
Per Cooper’s latest executive order, outdoor gatherings are limited to 50.
The order takes effect at 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13 and is set to expire Dec. 4.
(See a copy of the executive order and a FAQ on the order attached below.)
Over the past two days, the Richmond County Health Department has reported 26 news cases, 10 on Tuesday and 16 on Wednesday.
This brings the monthly total to 110 and the overall total, since the first case was reported in April, to 1,559
There are currently 112 active cases in the county.
Along with the new cases, the number of hospitalizations has increased slightly from three to five. State hospitalizations reached a new high of 1,246.
According to the Health Department, 1,410 residents have recovered and of all the tests performed, 15,255 have returned a negative result.
There have also been a total of 4,698 COVID-related deaths in the state, including 37 in Richmond County. Fifteen of the county’s deaths were in October.
Richmond County Schools reported one new case of a traditional student at Monroe Avenue — the second of the week — on Tuesday and one virtual student at Hamlet Middle.
Free testing COVID testing began Monday in the parking lot behind the Human Services Complex on Caroline Street. Testing will run from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday through the rest of the month, except for Thanksgiving Day and the day after, according to a press release issued Friday afternoon.
BY THE NUMBERS
The number of local cases per age group are as follows (includes recoveries):
The total number of cases per ZIP code are as follows:
More than 60 of the state’s 100 counties have now experienced more than 1,000 total cases.
Only four counties have had fewer than 200 cases, and they are all in the northeast corner of the state: Tyrrell (134), Camden (152), Gates (181) and Hyde (179). All four are among the state’s 10 least populated counties.
The total numbers (including recoveries) for surrounding counties are as follows:
All numbers are from DHHS except Moore, which are from the local health department, as there has been a discrepancy with the state.
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control is reporting 1,589 total cases and 50 deaths in Chesterfield County and 1,237 cases and 15 deaths in Marlboro County.
