Lee County reported a similar number of new COVID-19 cases Monday as had been confirmed in recent weeks, but saw a significant decrease in active cases, according to a press release issued Monday.

42 new cases were confirmed between Sept. 14 and Monday, bringing the total number of residents who have tested positive to 1,575. But the number of active cases dropped from 125 to 87 during the same time period. It was the first week since Aug. 31 that the number of active cases dropped under 100. Lee County has reported 13 COVID-confirmed deaths.

The past week is the third out of the past four in which the number of new cases was in the forties after an August in which significantly higher totals were reported. The rolling seven day average for new cases was 5.6, down slightly from 6.28 two weeks ago, and the percent positive rate was 6.2, down from 7.6 percent two weeks ago.

The county doesn’t report details about patients in accordance with federal privacy laws. Some demographic information is available at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services COVID dashboard.

The Lee County Health Department will continue to hold community testing events at 106 Hillcrest Drive every Tuesday through October from 9 to 11 a.m. by appointment only. To make an appointment, call (984) 368-2112 Monday through Friday from 9 to 11:30 a.m. or 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.