SALISBURY — The number of COVID-19 deaths outside of congregate living facilities on Thursday increased to nearly half of the total since the pandemic began.

Rowan County released data Thursday showing three additional deaths among local residents have been attributed to COVID-19, bringing the total since the start of the pandemic to 203. There have been 31 COVID-19 deaths reported in 2021.

Throughout the pandemic, congregate living facilities such as nursing homes have produced the majority of deaths from COVID-19 in Rowan County. But the number of deaths outside of the facilities has steadily increased, with all three reported Thursday fitting that criteria.

The average age of deaths Thursday remained 78.

Positives, meanwhile, increased by 114 on Thursday, bringing the county to 10,521 since the start of the pandemic and 1,696 since the start of 2021, according to local statistics. The county says there have been 5,903 recoveries and 341 Rowan County residents hospitalized.

A total of 29 Rowan residents were being hospitalized on Thursday — a number that’s remained unchanged for four days.

The number of cases recorded in congregate living facilities increased by four and is now 1,197.

Statewide on Thursday, there were 9,853 new cases — a number that was higher because of technical issues two days earlier. North Carolina reports 650,926 cases since the start of the pandemic, 3,990 people currently hospitalized and 7,825 deaths. There have been 7.79 million completed tests in the state and at least 521,475 recoveries.