Home Local News 152nd COVID death, 38 cases reported in Richmond County

152nd COVID death, 38 cases reported in Richmond County

RO file photo

ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond County Health Department on Monday announced another COVID-related death, making the first for the month of December.

The latest death brings the county’s pandemic total — since the first in April 2020 — to 152. There have now been 100 deaths this year, with seven reported in November.

According to the Health Department, the updated race and gender breakdown is as follows: 23 African American females, 26 African American males, three “other race” females, one “other race” male, two Hispanic females, three Hispanic males, two American Indian males, 48 Caucasian females and 44 Caucasian males.

All patients have been between the ages of 31 and 95: 37 have been 80 or older; 38 have been in their 70s; 40 in their 60s; 24 in their 50s; eight in their 40s; and five in their 30s.

Of the county’s deaths, 120 have been at a hospital, 25 have passed away in another healthcare facility and seven have died outside of a health setting.

Based on previous reports, the latest death appears to be that of an African American woman in her 70s.

North Carolina has recorded a total of 18,860 COVID-related deaths — an increase of 146 from Nov. 29 — according to the state Department of Health and Human Services.

Also on Monday, the Health Department reported 38 new cases from the weekend, averaging 12.6 per day. There were 112 new cases reported last week.

Richmond County Schools reported eight new cases — all student-related — on its COVID Tracker: two each at Ellerbe and Hamlet Middle; one each at Fairview Heights, Mineral Springs and Washington Street elementaries and one at the Ninth Grade Academy.

Hamlet Middle and NGA have the third- and second-highest number of cases, respectively, in the 15-school district, with Richmond Senior High leading the pack for this school year:

  • 88 – Richmond Senior
  • 47 – NGA
  • 39 – Hamlet Middle
  • 32 – Rockingham Middle
  • 26 – East Rockingham Elementary
  • 25 – Mineral Springs, Washington Street
  • 22 – Cordova Middle
  • 21 – L.J. Bell Elementary
  • 16 – Ellerbe Middle, Richmond Early College High School
  • 15 – Monroe Avenue Elementary
  • 14 – Fairview Heights Elementary
  • 10 – West Rockingham Elementary
  • 2 – Ashley Chapel Educational Center

The RCS COVID Tracker also shows a total of 67 staff-related cases, including eight each at Fairview Heights, Mineral Springs, Richmond Senior and Central Services.

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NCDHHS reported 2,101 new cases statewide on Monday, the fewest for one day so far this month, as more than 3,000 were reported each day Dec. 1-4 and 2,784 on Dec. 5.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the Omicron variant has been found in 16 states: California, Washington, Hawaii, Utah, California, Louisiana, Colorado, Nebraska, Minnesota, Missouri, Georgia, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland and Massachusetts.

According to the World Health Organization, the Omicron variant was first reported by South Africa on Nov. 24 and the first U.S. case was reported Dec. 1 in California.

However, the CDC says that the Delta variant “continues to be the main variant circulating in the United States.”

Statewide hospitalizations are also on the rise again, hitting 1,307 on Sunday — the most in more than a month. Numbers remained relatively steady throughout most of November but started trending upward from 1,047 — the third-lowest point within the past several months — on Nov. 25.

FirstHealth’s COVID patient count has increased from 22 on Dec. 1 to 30 on Dec. 6, accounting for 8.3% of all patients.

Seventy-nine residents have been vaccinated since Dec. 1, bringing the total to 20,141.

Vaccinations were recently authorized for children as young as 5 and booster shots are now available for all vaccinated adults.

COVID vaccinations and boosters are available at the Health Department from 8 a.m. -5 p.m. Monday-Thursday 8-5, and 8-11 a.m. on Fridays with no appointment needed.

FirstHealth Family Medicine-Rockingham will be offering the Pfizer vaccine for children 5-11 from 3-5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10. To schedule an appointment, call 910-417-3865.

 



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