By Natalie Anderson
natalie.anderson@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — The county on Wednesday reported an additional 27 people tested positive for COVID-19 in the county, but that number came with a bigger increase in recoveries and a significant improvement in hospitalizations.

A total of 1,602 people have tested positive after 8,966 tests. Recoveries grew by 47 on Wednesday, and 289 people are currently positive for COVID-19, an improvement of 20 from one day earlier. Hospitalizations also decreased from 17 on Tuesday to 11 on Wednesday.

The number of deaths remained at 45, with all but eight from congregate care facilities. Additionally, the total number of cases at congregate care facilities remained at 231 on Tuesday.

Statewide, a total of 91,266 people have tested positive after 1.28 million completed tests. A total of 1,142 people are being hospitalized across the state, another record, and 1,568 people have died.

The statewide rate of positive cases from tests decreased to 8% on Wednesday after being at 11% one day earlier.

The average age of local cases dropped on Tuesday and is now at 42.5, with the plurality of cases among those aged 18-35 — 508. Next is those aged 36-50, 397 cases. There are 276 cases among the 51-64 age range and 264 cases among those older than 65. A total of 157 children younger than the age of 18 have tested positive.

COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted Hispanic residents of Rowan County as they make up 31.27% of all cases for a total of 501 cases. A total of 916 white residents have tested positive, along with 207 Black residents, five American Indian/Alaskan Native residents, five Asian residents and one Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. A total of 250 are considered unknown, and 218 are considered “other.”

Men comprise the majority of cases at 810, while 792 cases have been among women.

Zip code 28147 remains the area with the most cases, at 541. Zip code 28144 has had 349 cases, and 28146 has had 231 cases.

Contact reporter Natalie Anderson at 704-797-4246.