29 Dead In A Week: Iredell County COVID-19 Update

MOORESVILLE, NC — The number of COVID-19 cases in Iredell County rose by 203 cases Thursday, increasing the county's total of known cases to nearly 11,600, according to the Iredell County Health Department. Five deaths were also reported Thursday, increasing the death toll in the county to at least 145 lives lost to the virus since March.

Of the total fatalities, at least 29 Iredell County residents have died from COVID-19 in the span of seven days, ICHD said.

Coronavirus hospitalizations decreased slightly in the past week, from 72 patients reported Jan. 7 to 63 reported Jan. 14. Statewide, however, the hospitalization landscape remains grim. As of Thursday, nearly 4,000 were hospitalized for COVID-19 throughout North Carolina, with about 15 percent of staffed intensive care unit beds and about 22 percent of staffed inpatient hospital beds remaining, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

Iredell County is one of 84 counties in the state where coronavirus spread is considered to be at a critical level, according to DHHS.

Earlier this week, Iredell-Statesville Schools reported that nearly 300 students and 80 school district staff were in quarantine for COVID-19 during the first four days back in school following the winter break. Between Jan. 4 and Jan. 7, three students and six school district staff members tested positive for COVID-19, the school district said.

North Carolina reported 9,853 new COVID-19 cases Thursday as the state's death toll rose by 80, DHHS said. As of Jan. 14, the state's tally of coronavirus cases increased to 650,926 known cases, and about 11 percent of tests were positive. At least 7,825 deaths in the state are attributed to COVID-19.

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• Iredell County's COVID-19 Death Toll Increases to 133
• Nearly 300 Students, 80 Staff In Quarantine In Iredell Schools
• Highly Contagious COVID-19 Variant Likely In NC: DHHS Secretary