A 46th Lee County resident has died from COVID-19, the Health Department reported Thursday.
The individual had been hospitalized at Central Carolina Hospital in Sanford. No other details about the patient were disclosed in accordance with federal health privacy regulations.
“We are saddened to report another COVID-19 death in our community,” said Lee County Health Director Heath Cain. “Please join us in offering our condolences to the friends and family of this individual and please keep them in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. We continue to see troubling trends in the number of new cases of the virus reported in Lee County and ask everyone to do their part to help slow the spread of coronavirus by wearing a mask in public, watching your distance around others, and washing your hands frequently.”
CCH reported that 12 other individuals are currently hospitalized with COVID-19.
Lee County is currently releasing COVID case updates on a weekly basis; as of the last one on Monday, Jan. 11, 4,112 residents had tested positive. According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services COVID dashboard, that number had increased to 4,201 as of this writing.
The Lee County Health Department is currently registering individuals for the COVID-19 vaccine in Group 1 and Group 2 of the NCDHHS vaccine rollout plan that was updated on Thursday. This includes essential healthcare workers fighting COVID-19, long-term care facility staff and residents, and individuals aged 65 and older. For a complete description of the rollout plan include a description of the rollout phases and eligibility, please visit covid19.ncdhhs.gov/vaccines.
The Health Department has two dedicated phone lines for vaccine registration – (919) 721-4769 and (984) 368-2112. The lines are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. Due to high call volume, individuals may need to call more than once to reach department staff that will initiate registration.