By Natalie Anderson
natalie.anderson@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Rowan County health officials on Wednesday reported four additional COVID-19 deaths, which currently puts the county fifth in the state for total deaths.

The four deaths include two from Liberty Commons, which now has five total, and two people not associated with a local congregate care facility.

That brings the number of deaths this week to eight, with a total of 89 over the course of the outbreak. All but 29 of those deaths are from local congregate care facilities.

Data also show eight deaths and 81 cases at Trinity Oaks Health and Rehab, five deaths and 50 cases at Autumn Care, six deaths and 42 cases at Accordius Health, seven cases at the Citadel, three cases at Rowan County Jail Annex and two cases at Compass Health in Spencer.

The average age is 80 among the deceased.

The latest state data show only Forsyth, Guilford, Mecklenburg and Wake counties have more deaths than Rowan County as of Wednesday. State data show only 86 deaths in Rowan County, while county data show 89 deaths. County spokesperson TJ Brown has previously said discrepancies between county and state data can result from a lag in reporting cases and deaths.

Of the 3,101 total COVID-19 cases in Rowan County, 338 are currently active and 2,674, or 86%, of all cases have recovered.

A total of 19 people are currently being hospitalized in the county, with an average age of 63 among all 208 people who have been hospitalized in the county for COVID-19 since March.

Across the state, 188,024 people have tested positive after 2.68 million tests, for a rate of 5.8%. Currently, 918 people are being hospitalized and 3,149 have died.

Demographic data for cases in Rowan County continues to show that more than half of all cases are among white residents, while nearly 29% and 14% are among Hispanic and Black residents, respectively. The average age of all cases is 43.4, with the plurality of cases among those aged 18-35. Women comprise 53% of all cases.

Zip codes 28147 and 28144 continue to be the areas hit hardest by the pandemic, with 685 cases and 838 cases among the areas, respectively.

County health officials canceled a drive-thru testing event taking place Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in China Grove due to the threat of inclement weather.

Contact reporter Natalie Anderson at 704-797-4246.