County reports 39th COVID-19-related death

ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond County Health Department reported the 39th COVID-19-related deaths of a Richmond County resident Tuesday morning.

This patient was being treated in a hospital outside of Richmond County. The Health Department learned of the death late Monday.

The local death count has climbed steadily in recent months. Since Sept. 11, there have been 26 COVID-19-related deaths among those calling Richmond County home. For comparison, Health Director Tommy Jarrell told the Daily Journal that the official count of flu deaths in Richmond County hovers between five and 10 deaths each year.

Richmond County reported nine new cases of COVID-19 Tuesday, following 30 on Monday, 17 last Friday and 21 last Thursday. As of Tuesday afternoon, there are 147 active cases with 10 COVID-19 patients hospitalized. There have been 1,768 total positive cases, and 1,582 people have recovered. Since the pandemic began, there have been 16,924 negative tests. The majority of cases have been in the 51-64 age range (361 cases) and the 41-50 age range (318 cases), though the most deaths have been in the 80 years old and up range.

There have been 271 cases in those ages zero to 18.

The 39 COVID-19-related deaths in the county have ranged in age from 31 to 95. A further breakdown of the deaths indicate: six African American females, five African American males, two Native American males, 16 Caucasian females and 10 Caucasian males. Twenty-eight of the deceased have died in a hospital, eight have died at another healthcare facility and three have died outside of a hospital or healthcare facility setting. Additionally, age ranges for the deceased are as follows:

Age Range:

• 30-39: 1

• 50-59: 3

• 60-69: 10

• 70-79: 11

• 80 & up: 14

Free COVID-19 testing will be offered at the Richmond County Health Department’s back parking lot located at 127 Caroline St. The times available are every weekday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The free testing will be available through Dec. 31, 2020. Anyone seeking testing should enter the Greene Street entrance and follow signs to the back of building to testing center.

These tests do not require a patient to be experiencing symptoms, to have a doctor’s note, nor to have insurance. The wait time for results is roughly the same as the wait following a test with FirstHealth. A new location for the tests will be announced each Friday for an unknown number of weeks. The sites will rotate through the county.

The Health Department continues to encourage everyone to practice the three W’s: wear mask, wait six feet apart and wash hands frequently.

“Please join us with your thoughts and prayers for this family,” Jarrell said in a press release.

If you have questions about COVID-19 in general or about your own need to be tested, call the Richmond County COVID-19 Hotline at 910-417-4947.