SALISBURY — The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Rowan County hit 17 on Sunday, increasing by three from the previous day.

The Rowan County Public Health Department announced on Sunday afternoon that it has confirmed two additional positive COVID-19 cases. Later in the day, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services added an additional case to that total when it updated the statewide tracker. No further information was released about any of the cases.

In addition to the 17 cases, one person died last week after testing positive for COVID-19. The person, the Rowan County Health Department said, was elderly and had underlying health conditions.

On Sunday afternoon, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported a total of 1,167 cases in the state with five deaths. A Virginia man also died in the state after being diagnosed with COVID-19, but he is not counted in North Carolina’s total. The state also reported 18,945 completed COVID-19 tests and 91 individuals being hospitalized due to the coronavirus.

Across the state, a plurality of cases (45%) fall within the ages of 25 and 49. When the case total reached 12, Rowan County said the average age of those confirmed positive was 49.9, but it has not provided an updated average since then.

The largest number of cases in the county county to be located in the Salisbury area, according to the county’s zip code map of cases.

Rowan County is asking that all citizens continue to follow guidelines and orders that are currently in place to protect and reduce the spread of COVID-19. Gov. Roy Cooper’s executive order 121 (the stay-at-home order) will take effect Monday at 5 p.m. The county asks that if anyone goes out for essentials that they continue to practice recommended social distancing as well as all other health and safety guidelines.

For any questions regarding the coronavirus, including those who have symptoms and wish to be tested, individuals are encouraged to call their health care provider or the Rowan County Health Department hotline at 980-432-1800.

For information about COVID-19 locally, visit rowancountync.gov/COVID-19.

The Department of Health and Human Services website for coronavirus information is ncdhhs.gov/coronavirus.