SALISBURY — While COVID-19 cases continue a post-omicron decline, state data show nearly two dozen active outbreaks or clusters at congregate living facilities or schools in Rowan County.

N.C. Department of Health and Human Services data updated this week show 10 COVID-19 outbreaks at nursing homes in the county, seven at residential care facilities and one at the Rowan County Detention Center Annex. Two clusters are at local child care facilities and one is at Hurley Elementary School.

Outbreaks in congregate living settings require two or more positive cases that are linked to one another. Outbreaks are considered over 28 days after the last onset of COVID-19 in a symptomatic person or the first date of specimen collection from an asymptomatic person.

Outbreaks considered active in Rowan County are as follows:

• 35 staff cases and 30 resident cases at Autumn Care of Salisbury.

• 18 staff cases and eight resident cases at Big Elm Retirement and Nursing Center.

• 14 staff cases at Brightmoor Nursing Center.

• 14 staff cases and two resident cases at Compass Healthcare and Rehab Rowan.

• 23 staff cases, 18 resident cases and one resident death at Liberty Commons Nursing and Rehab Center.

• 30 staff cases and three resident cases at the N.C. State Veterans Home.

• 14 staff cases and five resident cases at The Citadel of Salisbury.

• 15 staff cases and 29 resident cases at the Laurels of Salisbury.

• 11 staff cases and one resident case at Trinity Oaks Nursing Home.

• Three resident cases at the Salisbury VA nursing home.

• Three resident cases at Bethany Retirement center.

• Three staff cases, one resident case and one resident death at Brookdale Salisbury.

• 13 resident cases at Compass Assisted Living Rowan.

• Four staff cases and one resident case at Elmcroft of Salisbury.

• Four staff cases, 18 resident cases and one resident death at the Meadows of Rockwell Retirement Center.

• 10 resident cases at Timber Ridge Treatment Center.

• Four staff cases at Trinity Oaks Continuing Care Retirement Community.

• 32 inmate cases at the Rowan County Detention Center Annex.

Clusters are defined as a minimum of five positive cases in a child care or school setting within a 14-day period that can be linked together. The 28-day criteria for outbreaks also dictates whether a cluster is still active.

Clusters in Rowan County are as follows:

• Five staff cases at Kiddie Land.

• Two staff cases and six student cases at South Rowan Academy of Child Development.

• Three staff cases at Hurley Elementary School.

Other Rowan County COVID-19 data is as follows:

• State data show 1,120 Rowan county positives reported in the previous two weeks, which does not include any at-home tests. Adjusted for population, that’s better than Iredell and Davie counties but worse than other neighbors.

• 571 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in Rowan County’s region — the Triad Health Care Preparedness Coalition — on Thursday. The same number was more than 1,000 one month ago.

• 548 Rowan County residents have died from COVID-19, which includes 48 people who have died in 2022.

• 47% of Rowan County residents are vaccinated with at least one dose, 43% are considered fully vaccinated and 17% have received a booster shot.