SALISBURY — Rowan County began the final full week of January with 81 new COVID-19 cases and few other changes to the state of the pandemic locally.

On Sunday, local statistics showed 2,679 cases reported this month and 11,504 since the start of the pandemic. The official number of active cases, according to Rowan County statistics, is 5,145, which includes 6,123 recoveries.

While there were none reported Sunday, deaths have come at a faster pace this month than any other time during the pandemic, with 64 reported since the start of the new year. There have been 236 total deaths during the pandemic.

Rowan residents hospitalized remained unchanged, at 29. There have been 342 total local residents hospitalized.

The Rowan Health Department said Sunday that vaccination drive-thru events would switch to an appointment model this week and provided no other details. Until now, the drive-thru events have drawn long lines of people for a limited supply.

The Health Department is currently vaccinating people 65 and older.

Statewide, some trends are improving. There were 6,096 new cases reported Sunday — continuing a general trend of decreased daily cases. Hospitalizations across North Carolina are also declining somewhat and sat at 3,303 on Sunday.

There have been 718,812 total COVID-19 positives in North Carolina, 8,695 deaths and 8.45 million completed tests.

Local places to be tested for COVID-19 this week are as follows:

Cabarrus-Rowan Community Health Center Mobile Unit
Rowan County Health Department
1811 E Innes St.
704-792-2242
Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Carolina COVID Testing
711 E Innes St. (former K-mart parking lot)
704-413-3080
Every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Free; No appointment needed 

Novant Health Rowan
1904 W Jake Alexander Blvd.
Call 704-210-7845 for an appointment. Testing criteria may apply.   

FastMed Clinic
1361 Klumac Road
Will bill insurance. For non-insured individuals, the cost is $199 for both COVID-19 and antibody testing. No appointment needed.

CVS
1924 Statesville Blvd, Salisbury
Must schedule appointment online.
cvs.com/minuteclinic/covid-assessment

W. G. Hefner VA Medical Center
1601 Brenner Ave. , Salisbury
Testing criteria may apply. Will only test veterans.