By Natalie Anderson
natalie.anderson@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — While cases and hospitalizations across the state surged, Rowan County finished the week with four more reported deaths and at 17th in the state for most cases per 10,000 residents.

County health officials on Friday reported a third COVID-19 death on Friday among someone not associated with a congregate care facility. There were no additional deaths reported Saturday. One of the four deaths reported this week was among someone at Liberty Commons. Of the 111 total deaths now, all but 40 have been among congregate care facilities.

State health officials say key COVID-19 metrics have recently began moving in the wrong direction. On Friday, the state saw its highest one-day increase in cases since March. That was on day after the prior day had also marked a record. Friday’s record was 2,684 additional COVID-19 cases. After 2,102 cases added Saturday, there have now been 243,725 cases across the state, totaling 241,623 cases across the state. The current percent positive rate is at 6.82% after 3.57 million tests reported.

The number of people hospitalized is also increasing, and there were 1,140 in hospitals across the state on Saturday. people are currently being hospitalized. A total of 3,929 people have died.

With the recent rise of cases and hospitalizations, state health officials urge North Carolinians continue practicing their three Ws, get tested and download the official exposure notification app available on Apple and Android app stores called SlowCOVIDNC.

Single-day increases in cases continue to fluctuate in Rowan County. This week, county health officials added an average of 21 new cases each day. The county reports a total of 3,848 cases since March, with 473 of those currently active. A total of 3,264 have recovered. And though the state’s rate of tests returning positive has risen over the last two weeks, Rowan County’s rate of tests returning positive has steadily declined each week and is now at 7.75%.

The plurality of currently active cases are among those older than 65. Next is the 18-35 and 36-50 age groups.

A total of 22 people are being hospitalized in Rowan County. The average age among hospitalizations is 64.

There about 300 COVID-19 cases at congregate care facilities with active outbreaks, though representatives of those facilities say the number of active cases is lower than data show.

Though the county reports 81 cases at Piedmont Correctional Institute, the Department of Public Safety reports seven active cases and 72 cases presumed recovered.

More than 23,500 cases exist at nursing homes, residential care facilities and correctional facilities with active outbreaks across the state.

Contact reporter Natalie Anderson at 704-797-4246.