SALISBURY — The COVID-19 death toll in Rowan County started last week at 414 and ended at 426 on Friday.

The 12 deaths reported last week occurred in both September and October.

Demographic data provided by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services doesn’t reflect many of the most recent deaths, stopping with the week of Sept. 19. Deaths during the delta variant spike primarily have occurred among those ages 65-74, according the NCDHHS data.

Rowan last week remained seventh among the state’s 100 counties for its number of COVID-19 deaths. It’s still behind Cumberland County, which has 447 fatalities. Rowan also continues to have more COVID-19 deaths than all of its neighbors.

In other local COVID-19 data:

• 782 COVID-19 cases were reported among Rowan County residents last week, including 64 on Friday.

• The percentage of local tests returning positive is 10.4% in the previous two weeks, which is just above the 10% the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls high community spread.

• NCDHHS reported one of its lowest statewide daily cases totals in several weeks on Monday — 2,219.

• 60,957 Rowan County residents have received at least one dose of a vaccination and 56,034 have received both doses, according to NCDHHS.

• 561 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in Rowan County’s region on Friday. One month ago, the same number was 910. Similarly, statewide hospitalizations were 2,467 on Friday after hitting 3,808 one month ago.