SALISBURY — The number of new COVID-19 cases reported Thursday was one of the highest ever in Rowan County.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported 264 new positives in Rowan, which was more than every neighboring county and among the worst increases in the state.

Rowan County has 1,891 positives during the previous two weeks and 20,617 since the start of the pandemic.

NCDHHS data show 337 deaths in Rowan since the start of the pandemic, which was unchanged from Wednesday’s update. Regional COVID-19 hospitalizations increased from 819 on Wednesday to 837 on Thursday. Rowan County’s region is known as the Triad Healthcare Preparedness Coalition, and it covers about 18 counties.

The percent of people who have received at least one dose of a vaccine remained unchanged Thursday at 47%. About 43% are considered fully vaccinated in Rowan County.

Across North Carolina, there were 8,620 new COVID-19 positives on Thursday. It was the highest daily increase for the state since February.

Similar to regional hospitalizations, the statewide number on Thursday — 3,552 — is multiple times what it was one month ago — 957.

The number of COVID-19 deaths in North Carolina since the start of the pandemic is 14,272