By Natalie Anderson
natalie.anderson@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — County health officials on Tuesday reported five COVID-19 deaths, with three among local congregate care facilities and two among community members.

Compass Healthcare and Rehabilitation in Spencer reported its first death since an outbreak was first declared in August. Also on Tuesday, the N.C. State Veterans Home, once the site of a deadly outbreak last summer, reported another COVID-19 death. It has now reported a total of 16 deaths.

Additionally, Trinity Oaks Health and Rehab reported its 10th death on Tuesday.

Deaths now total 178 with an average age of 79 among them.

State data show that 13 facilities in Rowan County currently have outbreaks, including Compass Healthcare and Rehabilitation, the N.C. State Veterans Home, Trinity Oaks Health and Rehab, Trinity Oaks Retirement, Accordius Health, the Citadel, the Laurels, Autumn Care of Salisbury, Brightmoor Nursing Center, The Meadows of Rockwell, Piedmont Correctional Institute, Bethamy Retirement Center and Big Elm Rehabilitation and Living Center.

County health officials reported 76 additional COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, totaling 9,702 cases since March with 3,834 of those cases currently active and 5,690 recoveries. The average age of all positive tests is 44.2.

A total of 29 Rowan Countians continue to be hospitalized for the fifth consecutive day.

State data show that a total of 109,799 North Carolinians have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, with 1,019 of those administered in Rowan County.

Data also show 4% of those vaccinations have been among Hispanic North Carolinians, along with 80% among white North Carolinians, 10% among Black North Carolinians, 6% among Asian or Pacific Islander North Carolinians and 1% among American Indian/Alaskan Native North Carolinians. A total of 57% of vaccinations have been administered among those aged 25-49, while 31% are among those aged 50-64, 6% among those aged 65-74 and 2% among those aged 75 and older.

Additionally, 67% of vaccinations have been among women.

State data also show that, while 165,990 vaccination doses have been allocated to long-term care facilities in North Carolina as of Monday, only 13,338 doses have been administered. CVS and Walgreens are currently working with the federal government to administer vaccinations among staff and residents at long-term care facilities.

State health officials on Tuesday reported 5,285 additional cases of COVID-19 in North Carolina, which totals 575,396 cases since March after conducting 7.15 million tests. That amounts to a daily percent positive rate of 16.2% and an overall rate of 8%.

A total of 6,996 North Carolinians have died from the virus, while 3,781 are currently being hospitalized.

The state reports that of the 442 newly admitted patients as of Jan. 1, 21% have been among Black North Carolinians, while 1% has been among Asian and American Indian/Alaskan Native North Carolinians, respectively. A total of 4% of those newly admitted patients are Hispanic, and 69% are white.

Across the state, a total of 48,102 cases and 3,333 deaths have been reported collectively among nursing homes, residential care facilities, correctional facilities and other congregate settings. Additionally, 337 outbreaks have emerged at nursing homes, 261 at residential care facilities, 63 at correctional facilities and five at other congregate care settings.

State data show 732 cases, 25 clusters and three deaths have been among child care settings, while 964 cases and 51 clusters have been reported among K-12 schools.

The CDC reported an additional 173,915 cases and 1,800 COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday, totaling 20.73 million cases and 352,464 deaths since January. The CDC also reports an average of 64.5 daily cases per 100,000 residents over the last seven days, with North Carolina currently ranking 18th across the U.S. and its territories.

Contact reporter Natalie Anderson at 704-797-4246.