By Natalie Anderson
natalie.anderson@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — The Sheetz location in Salisbury has temporarily shut down after three employees tested positive for COVID-19.

A spokesperson for Sheetz confirmed on Monday that the store located at 1520 Jake Alexander Blvd. South is temporarily closed because it’s being deep cleaned, sanitized and disinfected along with the gas pumps. One positive employee last worked at the location on Aug. 5. Another worked Aug. 6. The last day workday for the third employee was Aug. 7.

The gas pumps at this location are also closed. All employees will be fully paid while the store remains closed, the spokesperson added.

A reopening date has not yet been determined at this time, the spokesperson said, adding that reopening will be based on staffing. All employees who were in contact with the three positive employees are “strongly being encouraged to be tested.”

Also on Monday, the county again saw another record for the number of current hospitalizations, as the number has now hit 30. Over the weekend, current hospitalizations were at 27, which was also a record. A total of 154 people have been hospitalized for COVID-19 since the pandemic came to Rowan County, with an average age of 62.

A total of 2,213 people had tested positive for COVID-19 by Monday, with 360 of those cases currently positive. A total of 1,803 people have recovered.

A total of 22,872 tests have been reported, with 20,659 of those negative as of Friday for a rate of 9.43%.

Deaths remained at 50 on Monday, with all but 13 from local congregate care facilities. Meanwhile, the total number of cases at congregate care facilities is now at 269. A total of four employees and 23 residents of Autumn Care have tested positive, along with 11 cases among two local group homes and 52 at the N.C. State Veterans Home.

Statewide, a total of 136,218 cases have been confirmed after 1.99 million tests reported, for a rate of 6%. Hospitalizations across the state improved on Monday and is now at 1,109 after amounting to 1,129 people over the weekend. A total of 2,168 people have died across the state.

The state also updated the total of patients presumed to be recovered, which is now at 116,969 people.

In other local COVID-19 statistics:

• Hispanic residents of Rowan County continue to be disproportionately infected with COVID-19 as they make up 27.29% of all cases despite only comprising less than 10% of the overall population. A total of 1,174 white residents have tested positive, along with 289 Black residents, nine American Indian/Alaskan Native residents, five Asian residents and one Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. Of all cases, 310 are considered other and 425 are unknown.
• The average age of positive cases is 42.5, with the plurality of cases among 18 to 35-year-olds, at 684. The next highest positive age bracket is 36-50 at 534 cases, 407 cases among those aged 51-64 and 359 cases among those older than 65. Children currently comprise 229 cases.
• A total of 1,143 women have tested positive, with 1,070 cases among men.
• Zip code 28147 remains the area most impacted by COVID-19 as 662 people have tested positive in that area. Next up is zip code 28144 at 455 cases and 372 cases the the 28146 zip code.

Contact reporter Natalie Anderson at 704-797-4246.