Spencer nursing home has COVID-19 outbreak

Published 6:11 pm Friday, August 14, 2020

SALISBURY — Rowan County on Friday added at least 26 new COVID-19 cases to its total, as well as another nursing home with a COVID-19 outbreak.

County data show the total is now 2,310 cases. State data, meanwhile, show a total of 2,316 cases. But county officials say a new morning update schedule means local updates can lag behind state numbers by 24 hours.

In either case, the number of active COVID-19 cases increased Friday and, according to local data, numbered 318.

A biweekly state update of COVID-19 outbreaks at congregate care facilities also showed that Compass Healthcare and Rehab, a nursing home in Spencer, now has one recorded case for a resident and one for a staff member. Those cases are not yet included in local data, but county spokesman TJ Brown said Saturday’s update would show the same, bringing the number of congregate living cases to 278.

There were no changes Friday in the number of COVID-19 deaths (52) or hospitalizations among Rowan residents (17).

The average age of people who have tested positive in Rowan County is 42.5. The average age of those  hospitalized is 62. And the average age of for COVID-19 deaths is 80.

Among neighboring counties, Rowan has more total cases than all but Cabarrus. But both Cabarrus (512) and Iredell (426) have more active cases. Rowan and Cabarrus County have the same number of COVID-19 deaths at 52.

The trend across the state has been fewer daily COVID-19 cases reported each day. And there were 1,346 reported Friday, bringing the total number of cases in the state to 142,170 after 1.88 million completed tests. There were 1,049 people hospitalized on Friday and 2,313 deaths after positive COVID-19 tests.