The Lee County Health Department reported Monday that a 36th county resident has died from COVID-19 as the number of residents who have tested positive for the virus topped 2,900.
“We offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends who have lost their loved one to COVID-19 and ask the community to keep them in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time,” said Lee County Health Director Heath Cain. “We know the holiday season is typically a time of togetherness, but with new cases of COVID-19 surging across the state, we want to stress the importance of following the guidance of the CDC during this critical time. Please follow the 3 W’s – wear a mask, watch your distance, and wash your hands and when possible, avoid indoor gatherings with individuals outside of your immediate household. These actions will help to keep your family, friends and neighbors safe.”
The death occurred at Central Carolina Hospital. No other information was released in accordance with federal health privacy regulations.
Meanwhile, the department reported 159 new cases since Thursday, bringing the total number of residents who have tested positive to 2,922. The number of active cases, however, decreased from 375 to 344 in the same time period. 2,542 people have recovered.
Identifying information about patients isn’t disclosed, but the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services COVID dashboard does have some demographic information. According to the dashboard, the rolling seven day average for new cases remained stable from Thursday to Monday, going from 30.71 to 30.86, while the percent positive rate increased from from 10.6 to 12.2 in the same time period.